Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

182 reviews

maggiemcfly's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

I had really high expectations for this book and was worried it would disappoint, but it was just amazing! The writing, the storytelling, the characters - can’t wait for the adaptation!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder, and Abandonment

Minor: Sexism and Stalking

laurataylor's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

atomicsushi's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Abandonment

Minor: Animal death and Child abuse

thebookishbunny's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

scifi_rat's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

baileyanabella's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely stunning writing by Danya Kukafka. What could have been an incredibly confusing mixture of stories from the perspective of four different people in completely different time frames, were masterfully written and intertwined with one another. You begin the story knowing its ending, but the ride there with the characters is what keeps you in your seat. Also features a diverse cast, including POC and LGBTQQ+ main characters. Their representation never feels forced, it is intrinsically involved in the plot and their personal development. I ate this up, and I can't think of anything I didn't like about it. Kukafka doesn't miss a beat!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cancer and Death of parent

Maybe to no one's surprise because of the title, but there is a detailed first-person description of an execution, of the desire to stay alive but being forced to die. I've never read anything like it, so it's something to be aware of when going in. Ansel is pathetic and dies pathetically.

meemawreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-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

3.5

I appreciate, like most readers, that we got to know a serial killer outside a romanticized lens, instead seeing him through the eyes of the women he knew. It doesn't keep it from being a huge bummer sandwich, but at least we don't have to listen to another author proclaiming the "evil genius" of another murderer. It reminds the reader that everyone involved is a multifaceted human, critiques the criminal justice system, and shows us the effects of generational trauma, all without being too heavy-handed.

Probably my favorite part is Ansel's escape plot failing, showing that this guy is less "pure evil" than completely swept up in the delusion of deep misogyny.

Ansel isn't an idiot, he truly thinks he's worth more than these women and that belief didn't come out of nowhere. Four taters 🥔🥔🥔🥔/🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Abandonment

luisaoropeza83's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Where the book starts at the end outcome and then goes back into what happened to the missing girls was refreshing. There was no initial mystery, but more of following the crimes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Abandonment

desiderium_incarnate's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-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? Yes

4.75

There are millions of men out there who want to hurt women - people seem to think that Ansel Packer is extraordinary, because he actually did. 

This book was amazing! Yes it's incredibly dark and it hurts but it is so skillfully written and immersive and makes so much sense, I am pretty much in awe. The cover also makes so much sense when you read it and that's really cool. I didn't give it 5 stars because of a principle I have, if animals get unnecessarily hurt or die in a story, it isn't 5 stars,but yeah otherwise I fully recommend it. It really gives you a new perspective on the obsession people have with murderers or serial killers specifically - is the murderer really the most important thing about that? Is it most interesting, what made them like this? How their psyche works? What would be if they wouldn't have made those decisions? How they impacted the people around them and vice versa? 
The book is not pro death penalty or police it shows flaws in the system, it also isn't against reporting on serial killers, it is just in some ways a comfort, hope, warning and another perspective from death row as well as from impacted outsiders left behind and I think that is all it should be. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

lau_leo's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Misogyny, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail