Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Bestiary by K-Ming Chang

9 reviews

harrimyers's review against another edition

so explicitly disgusting and brutal in its language. loved the idea but the actual writing was so grotesque i couldn’t do it 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Gore, Excrement, Vomit, and Blood

jesspeach's review against another edition

1.5

Not what I was hoping for. The premise seemed really interesting but I didn't enjoy the prose. Although there were a lot of interesting metaphors, this book was just needlessly vulgar and I actually found myself cringing while reading it. The closer I got to the end, the more eager I was for it to be over. Disappointing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Excrement

mirissab's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

This book was not what I was expecting, but it was ultimately worth my time despite it taking me three attempts to start it. My niche is books that are multi-generational (preferably matrilineal) with a little history weaved through it. This book captures all of that but with more magic and surrealism sprinkled in.  While beautifully written with poetic prose and melancholic storylines, I found it perhaps a little too fantastical for my personal preference. I appreciate the layers and complexity of the characters and storylines even though I would say there wasn't much of a (fast-moving) plot: the harsh realities of being an immigrant in the USA, what makes or breaks a family, how history shapes the present, and how we are capable of more than we know (both good and bad). This book made me feel like I understood nothing and everything at the same time. It was oftentimes confusing and I felt like I was missing something, but I could likely attribute at least a part of it to my ignorance (for example, I'm not that great with symbolism). 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and War

Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Racism

kairhone's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, and Excrement

Moderate: War and Sexual content

leah_alexandra's review against another edition

challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a really strange and beautiful book. I didn’t love it, but I can appreciate it for what it was. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Xenophobia, Death, Violence, Vomit, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, and Domestic abuse

stevie's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, War, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Misogyny

meganzc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Vomit

sucreslibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

nocturnalreader's review

challenging dark funny informative mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Setting: Taiwan | Themes: Violent Impulses and Desire | Plot: Medium paced 

Author: K-Ming Chang 

Content Warning: Violence, Bodily functions/Amputation, and Child abuse 

 

Blurb: One evening, Mother tells Daughter a story about a tiger spirit who lived in a woman’s body. She was called Hu Gu Po, and she hungered to eat children, especially their toes. Soon afterwards, Daughter awakes with a tiger tail. And more mysterious events follow: Holes in the backyard spit up letters penned by her grandmother; a visiting aunt arrives with snakes in her belly; a brother tests the possibility of flight. All the while, Daughter is falling for Ben, a neighborhood girl with strange powers of her own. As the two young lovers translate the grandmother’s letters, Daughter begins to understand that each woman in her family embodies a myth–and that she will have to bring her family’s secrets to light in order to change their destiny. 

 

Bestiary is a retelling of Taiwanese folklore that weaves mythology across three generations with a queer love story. The story revolves around three generations of Taiwenese women Ama, mother, and daughter and as you proceed, the plot unfolds their story of their lives carried by a multigenerational secret which is marked by war, poverty, queer love, desire, survival, and immigration. 

 

I have mixed feelings about this book. Though the story is refreshing yet I felt the writing is crude which couldn’t help me to connect with the characters. The main challenge is with the strong and intense language with body fluid and visceral descriptions that couldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea. 

However, there are moments that made me laugh and instances that are thought provoking. One can either thoroughly enjoy and love this book or might leave it behind. 

 

Thank you @NetGalley and @randomhouseUK for sharing the eArc in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Stars: 🐅🐅🐅🐅 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Violence, Sexual content, Gore, Domestic abuse, and Body horror