Reviews tagging 'Murder'

My Year Abroad by Chang-rae Lee

5 reviews

aliy's review

adventurous challenging dark funny medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Physical abuse

Moderate: Murder and Suicide attempt

prettycloud's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

What a thoroughly odd and extraordinary piece of writing. This novel is witty and fun and thoughtful but also dark and disturbing. It does not seem to relish in its violence, but rather to pull the reader in to understand what the violence is made of. It asks a lot of questions and is a great beginner of discussions, but beware! It is not for the faint of heart or stomach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Vomit, Body horror, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Grief, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Violence, Alcohol, and Suicide

Moderate: Infidelity, Child abuse, Incest, Abandonment, and Death of parent

Minor: Colonisation, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, Dementia, Medical content, Sexism, and Xenophobia

This book features some pretty gnarly dubious consent (there seems to be a lot of rationalizing going on—I'd classify it as rape, but it's unclear if the victim would). There's also a pretty messed-up murder and a lot of bodily and societal weirdness. It's not all suffering, but it's one of those books that you want to read slowly or sit out entirely due to the nastiness of some of its content.

bootsmom3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Slavery, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cancer, Torture, Violence, Misogyny, Alcohol, Medical content, Terminal illness, Death, Grief, Confinement, Blood, Physical abuse, Murder, and Sexism

mdelcol's review against another edition

reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Torture

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Infidelity

amressing's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.0

My Year Abroad follows Tiller, a college student during his time abroad with a local entrepreneur and after he has returned when he is living with a woman named Val and her son, Victor.  I think people should give this book a try, the descriptions of food are amazing.  For me it was a little too long and then felt rushed to wrap up at the end.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Excrement, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit