Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Last Days by Brian Evenson

32 reviews

g_xandra's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Self harm, Gore, Medical content, Murder, Blood, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism

virtualdragonkitty's review

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Top 10 grossest book I've ever read in my life. It made me want to vomit and was so sick and twisted. But I found it incredibly interesting because of how messed up it was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Alcohol, Murder, Self harm, Blood, Death, Medical content, Violence, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Gore, and Gun violence

Many descriptions of amputation for religious purposes. People also removing prosthetics. Self amputation happens as well. Please be aware this is very graphic and meant to be disturbing

paddingtontwo's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This may be my current favorite all around novel. There are so many things at play here that are just so unavoidably interesting and curious. I wouldn't say you go through the same descent as the main character because that's reductive of that the book is doing in general, but it's hard not to notice yourself carrying the same sort of nonchalance for the increasingly brutal ongoings, it's hard not to be transfixed frankly and there's much to think about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

dumbledorable's review against another edition

Way too horrific. I love a good scary story, but this was stomach-churning. Not for the faint of heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Violence, Gore, Suicide, Murder, Confinement, Gaslighting, Death, Blood, and Addiction

rodent_scribbles's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

An easy read but lacking substance, a good junk food book.

Despite the marketing, it is clear the author does not understand what a cult is as the beliefs of the "cult" in question are never explored.

The book relies heavily on the shock value of amputation, treating the act and its results as a freak show to be gawked at.
The book assumes the reader shares in the protagonist's shock and horror towards amputation but never explores why someone might feel that way.

The scene in which a stripper takes off her prosthetics to the protagonist's horror is both gratuitous and horribly ableist. The scene is never brought up again so its point in the story is beyond me.

The only redeeming quality of the story is Brian Evenson's writing style. It's an easy and evocative reading experience, I just wish his skills had been put to use in a better story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Medical content, Self harm, Stalking, and Alcohol

Amputation

k_rose95's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Body horror, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

fitzswackhammer's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Medical trauma, Torture, and Violence

minamouse's review

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I LOVED THIS NOVELLA!! The only downside to this story is that Evenson writes minimalistic literature, and sometimes I wanted him to go into more detail. I'll give this novella a well-deserved 4.75 ⭐ out of 5. I can't wait to read his other works!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Violence

ripxw's review

dark fast-paced

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Violence

garden's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm

Moderate: Police brutality