Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

16 reviews

imaggienary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Gaslighting

radtj's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I really liked the author’s take on what it means to be human and time as a construct of humanity. This book leaves you with some unanswered questions, but it’s the feeling the book leaves you with that feels more important. The format and voice the author writes in compels you to be just as curious as the main character, and it definitely gives you some interesting topics to think about.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Infertility, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, and Grief

maddiemort's review

So incredibly depressing in every possible way

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Abandonment

teainthelibrary's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, and Suicide

orangeoverload's review

dark inspiring mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

This book is about a women who is kept in a cage with 39 other women under mysterious circumstances. We never get to know why they are there or even where they are. Are they on Earth, or a completely different planet? What is the purpose of them being locked up, kept away from the rest of civilization? We experienced the world through the eyes of our unnamed main character, and I really enjoyed walking beside her as she grew and learnt, and never knew men. This story is wonderful. The landscape was endearing and I enjoying the other female characters too.

The book really delves into what it is to be human. How can you even see yourself as a human when you haven't experienced a typical human life? All you have known is this bunker and the stories told to you by the other women. There was wonder for me in not knowing all of the answers, some sweet bitterness in not understanding. Being able to speculate is part of the magic here, and for anyone wanting to read this book, know that we don't get all of the answers, and there is beauty in that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide

Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Suicide

Minor: Cancer, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

potteresque's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Suicide attempt