Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Violeta by Isabel Allende

36 reviews

bookellys's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Violeta and join her on her journey of reflection as she recounts her 100 year life.

Written as letters to her Grandson, Violeta’s life is bookended with scary similarities having been born in 1920 when the Spanish Flu ravaged her home country (Mexico) with the book ending during the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Across her life time we hear about her great loves, tragedies, as well as getting an insight into the political history of Mexico (though I don’t think the book ever actually says she is Mexican, I just googled the places she mentions).

I loved the prominence of family in her story, be that those related by blood, or the family that is chosen as was so often the case in Violeta’s life.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Drug abuse, and Death

Minor: Rape

chingona_solo's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

"With time we only remember events, emotions fade" sums up the book well. An interesting story but it felt like there were no emotions attached to the events, which was an odd choice. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Abortion, Alcoholism, Rape, Trafficking, Sexism, War, Addiction, Colonisation, Alcohol, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pandemic/Epidemic, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Medical trauma, and Misogyny

Minor: Incest and Cancer

lexcellent's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Lesbophobia, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Murder, Sexism, War, Cancer, Infidelity, Death, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Rape, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Suicide

sarajuni's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Death

Moderate: Incest

readbycarina's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Addiction, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: War, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Rape

Minor: Body shaming

jodiebielenberg's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

jamieclower's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Death, Genocide, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Police brutality, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Child death, Sexual assault, Pandemic/Epidemic, Infertility, Drug use, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Addiction, Violence, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Cancer

jravelar's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, and Sexism

lucawartna's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

A nice read that made me reflect on how much the world has changed in the 100 years that Violeta lived. The book really reads as a memoir, and kept me curious towards the very end. I liked how Violeta tells about her life without holding back the ugly parts. 
I also liked learning a bit about Chile. 
What I didn’t like was the pace; the story dragged in the end, and the part of the story about her youth got so much more pages than the rest, which was a shame. At the end, the story also got a bit jumbled. 
Overall a nice and interesting read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Rape and Drug abuse

chb's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Addiction, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, War, Dementia, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization