Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Blood Meridian; or, The Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy

59 reviews

asililydying's review against another edition

4.5

depraved. how do the 'enlightened' create and maintain colonialism? liberal democracy, a fair republic, founded on the defiled corpses of millions and millions of innocent lives; crimes committed nakedly, bald, out in the open with many a song to accompany them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

themagpiereads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

3.5

A stunning and brutal indictment of Manifest Destiny. A tough read in many ways: the writing is dense, the subject matter is harrowing, the characters are detestable. Yet, it is a propulsive read as well, difficult to put down in spite of its brutality. Did I like this book? Not really. Did I think this book was good? Absolutely. Take heed of all the content warnings if you're going to pick this one up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Excrement, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

anemosise's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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

4.5

horrifyingly difficult read. i cannot say this was enjoyable, but I find the story it tells to be an especially important one for it's time. took way too much brainpower and now I need to read some lighthearted stories lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

gremlintamer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

This book is A LOT.

juliajaime98's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This book took me a shit ton of time to read partly because it's SLOW but also because i was somehow half illiterate after so long not reading prior to this. Anyway, it's def the kind of book that has you sitting like o_o once you teach the end of it, especially the more you think about it. While none of the characters are likeable (besides the horses and dogs), they are all interesting and you want to keep finding out what happens to them. Also the judge's description is both terrifying yet hilarious every time it comes up. I picture him like bald and shiny Donald Trump. Anyway def recommend, although not a fan of some of the language used by Cormac (RIP) because yeah i know it's a western but like bruh... We got it the 200th time you used the same slurs. 

I suck at writing reviews but def give it a read if you got a stomach for gore and also want a tense and creepy story that isn't just horror but rather just encapsulated existential dread.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Violence, Xenophobia, War, and Injury/Injury detail

burgundy_fairy's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

It's masterfully written. It also bored me out of my mind. I wish I could've experienced it as it deserved but I found it difficult to pick up. Maybe someday I can read it better but for now, 3 stars is all I can give.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

I very well may have missed content warnings. I also could not discern their weight. The book is written so that everything is mentioned in passing but also in a very raw manner.

partinel's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia, and Murder

carolinemb's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

loper100's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

One of the most viscerally upsetting novels I've ever read. The judge embodies violent mania in a way I have never once experienced before, and it will forever change how I see violence and villains. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

eabosch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail