Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

159 reviews

ednareads's review

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Rape, War, and Sexism

Moderate: Incest and Torture

Minor: Homophobia

maevebm's review

emotional inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

Unforgettable and I’m not sure any review could do this book justice. A beautiful weaving of a family’s story set against the backdrop of classism, political instability, corruption, and civil conflict. The characters felt like real people and their pain and joy was tangible. There was humanity but there was also something that transcended beyond. I wish I could read it for the first time again and again and again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Torture, Car accident, Violence, Pedophilia, Murder, Kidnapping, Rape, War, Domestic abuse, and Abortion

Minor: Racism and Fire/Fire injury

a_novel_craving's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Gun violence, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, War, Classism, Confinement, Blood, Sexual assault, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Abortion, Child abuse, and Abandonment

alicebodnar's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Rape, Addiction, Sexism, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Abortion

lagaialettrice's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Ableism, Abortion, Deportation, Rape, and Sexual violence

kcanny's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

Such an incredible family saga with magical realism. The only reason why I didn't rate it 5 stars is because the ideology of the author is painfully on the nose but wow, this story cautivated me from page one. Super interesting to read knowing about Chilean history and other latin american realities.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Sexual violence and Gun violence

ambarleti's review

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, Abortion, Violence, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Murder, Sexual violence, War, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Death

fyredragyn's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Lesbophobia

mal8181's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring slow-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture

kaffee_auf_ex's review against another edition

dark informative tense slow-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

1.25

oh. my. fucking. god. 

I was so relieved when I finished this book. I wouldn't have finished this if I hadn't been reading it for a book club.

Let's start with the positive: Isabel Allende obviously knows how to write. I also really enjoyed the historical context that we got. That's about it.

The book is very graphic. I don't mind that in general, in fact I enjoy it sometimes. But not when we have to listen to the thoughts of pedophiles, rapists, racists and killers and also get the very details of their actions described to us.

We have 3 female main characters but never get their perspective. Instead, we hear from men that are the literal worst. 

People tend to love Clara because "omg she's so dreamy and quirky" when really, she just enables her husband to do the worst things to the women around them both including his sister even though Clara supposedly loves here. I mean, what's that about?

Also, I hated the racist terms used but I know that it's  because this book is old.

In conclusion: This book was well written but I hated every second its content.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Sexism, Torture, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Death, and Slavery