Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Você by Caroline Kepnes

53 reviews

chuckielittle's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

phantomgecko's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-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? Yes

2.0

A stream of consciousness from a misogynistic narcissist. Pretty disgusting tbh. Originally I tried to listen to the audiobook, but it was too intense. This is a book where the language really bothered me. Extremely vulgar and obscene. Very much reminded me of the internet, esp Reddit, which obvs was the goal.

Think of the whiniest, most foul-mouthed little incel you can, and that's this dude. Note how many times he refers to women as objects. How many times he reduces Beck to her sexual availability or genitals. How many times he misinterprets media to justify his actions. Also, lol at how judgmental he is about books. I think this is a more fun variation than being super judgmental about music or comics or video games.

Joe is seven layers of delusional, from thinking Beck is obsessed with him to awaiting the collapse of the internet so he can lord it over with his typewriters to thinking he ever helped anyone. However, some of what I thought he was making up at the beginning turned out to be close to the truth. Like how he says that Beck loves attention and is an exhibitionist. Still, I'd categorize him as an unreliable narrator. 

Beck isn't a great person either. She has real issues and a way annoying personality. Joe's observation that she wants to be a writer more than she wants to write is spot on. Nevertheless, a victim is a victim whether or not they are "innocent" or you personally dislike them.

See also Dr. Nicky.

One of the book club questions at the end asked something along the lines of, "did you find yourself wishing Joe would be punished for his crimes or did you want him to get away with it?" And like... ?????????? If you found yourself sympathetic to Joe's self-imposed, imaginary, selfish plight, maybe you need help too?

Here is a guy that murders four people by the end of the book, and frames another guy for one of the murders. This isn't a crime mystery, so the fact he gets away with everything shouldn't hold you up. Willing suspension of disbelief and all. But he actively and repeatedly blames every victim for their own murder. Most psychotic of all, he kills Beck, starts freaking out because he didn't mean it, realizes she's actually still alive, and then kills her again IMMEDIATELY and then cries because it's all her fault.

I honestly cannot adequately express how despicable the main character is. I understand that that is the point. I feel dirty for reading this book, tbh, and I'm not continuing the series. Joe is too accurately written, and that's too depressing for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism

snowhite197's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

david_slack110507's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

I've had this on my tbr list for a good while however after I watched the series on Netflix (and thoroughly loved it) I was hesitant about whether to read the book until I learned that the books are pretty different to the adaptation with this one being the most faithful and even this book is different to the series adaptation. Some of the changes the series made I liked and preferred what was in the book however I do prefer other aspects of the book over the tv show. 

I listened to the audiobook version of this book on Audible and I really think that's one of the best ways to experience this story, Santino Fontana really nails it at playing Joe and showing just how unhinged yet deluded he really is, something I think the book does better than the TV show adaptation. In the show and specifically the first season (Which adapts the first book in the You series), Joe is a much more complex character than he is in the book in terms of morality. In the show, we learn bits about his past with it having an abusive and toxic environment that he grew up in and we also see him trying to help Paco out of the same situation as he sees himself in Paco's situation, this acts as a way to humanise Joe combined with the fact that because it is told from his perspective means that his actions despite how despicable they are and then combated with Joe being a 'nice' person. It creates a contrast and I do think that while it's evident that Joe is a horrible person, these added complexities mean that he could be viewed as not entirely evil. 

The book completely goes against this instead having no situations where Joe is seen as potentially a flawed person. There is no Paco and any situations involving him hurting others are played out exactly as they should be, Joe is portrayed as the monster that he is. I think both the TV show and the book have very interesting takes on Joe and they both work: Showcasing Joe as the monster he is shows that the book isn't trying to romanticise his behaviour however having a multi-dimensional and complex version of Joe as seen in the TV show results in a much more interesting character. 

I actually feel most if not all the changes the show makes were for the better: In the show, the women are much more capable, sure they have their issues but, in the book, they are portrayed as being completely useless and defences which is most likely done on purpose to feed into Joe's heroic narrative/saviour complex. However, in the show, they are able to take care of themselves to some degree. 

I also want to point out that I really did like this especially for the fact that it didn't romanticise Joe's actions, despite all the comparisons I have to the show I still think that this stands well on its own and I do feel like while I prefer the show's adaptation/interpretation, this was still very strong and acted as a strong commentary on the 'nice guy' culture. Overall, a very strong start to the series and I'm very interested in where the series goes from here as well as how different it will be from the Netflix show. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Deadnaming, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Homophobia, Mental illness, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

marisabenn's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

OH MY GOOOOOOSH THIS BOOK!!

This is by far the creepiest book I have ever read. Being inside of Joe's head is amazing and disturbing. You get to experience how screwed up he is, but from his perspective it's everyone else that's messed up.

Beck was just awful. I hated her and her friends so much. I never really felt sad when they died, but I was never rooting for them to be killed. Joe is definitely the bad guy here, no gray areas at all. 

I probably won't watch the show, and I don't think I'll continue with the series either. This was a good standalone and I like the way it ended. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Drug use, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail

charkelley's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Probably would have liked this a lot less if I hadn’t listened to the audiobook. The narrator does a fantastic job. 

You is essentially about a deeply troubled psychopath who falls into obsession with a deeply troubled writer, though Beck’s selfish tendencies certainly didn’t warrant her gruesome demise. Joe’s narration was the best part. Still managed to be funny while making me want to scrub my skin raw with a sponge.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Car accident, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

coco78337's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bookwormnici's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Blood, Car accident, and Gaslighting

pk4y22's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

newkgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

Joe Goldberg is the type of character that you love to hate and hate to love. His inner monologue takes you on a wild ride of absolute delusion, pretension, and a complete lack of self awareness.

And Joe is in love with Guinevere Beck, or rather the idea of her he’s created in his head while stalking her. 

Joe is a completely unreliable narrator as he takes us through his world, giving everyone but Beck the least amount of thought and consideration. No one but her is as deep or emotionally mature as him. No one is as well read as him and her, no one matters but her. 

When obstacles to their love pop up; a boyfriend here, a friend who wants her for herself there, and a therapist who becomes obsessed as well, Joe will do anything to “protect” Beck and keep them together. What’s a little murder in the name of love? 

“You are a monster, deathly, solipsistic to the bone and you’re blasphemous because all you want is You.” 

Caroline Kepnes’ ability to create a character such as Joe Goldberg is, to me, truly astounding and at the same time, quite unnerving. Caroline, are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Do you need help?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail