Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Normale mensen by Sally Rooney

17 reviews

haindfielda's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-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

5.0

The writing alone makes it worth the read. It is such a gripping story that you want to keep reading, but the writing makes you want to savor every page. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Bullying

Moderate: Blood and Torture

morgancleaver's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Mental illness

Minor: Torture, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Physical abuse

darbo's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

 What a book.

When I first started reading this on my own, back at the beginning of January 2022, I felt so strongly about it that I was physically unable to continue it. Some scenes and passages got me so aggravated, frustrated and excited that it was a genuine sensory overload for me; and I can't say whether that's positive or negative. I ended up asking my girlfriend to buddy-read this with me, which we did; and my lord, I don't even know where to begin.
No spoilers, but Lukas is a fucking d*ck - least likeable character, honestly - and so is Jamie and Marianne's brother, Alan; just not as much as Lukas, in my opinion.
The story itself is vividly painted and truly beautiful; such an expressionistic novel that's super relatable and real and just makes me respect Sally Rooney as an author. I do have to say that I did not, as some people did, I imagine, mind the ending. I thought it was very well done and fit the overall story, theme, situation and their relationship.
I will definitely be picking up Conversations with Friends, as that's being made into a show currently, as well, and Beautiful World, Where are You. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Violence, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Misogyny, Bullying, Sexism, and Alcohol

readingforromance's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

aidamaria_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.0

I’ve finished Normal People by Sally Rooney in only a few sittings and was determined it wouldn’t get past three out of five stars for me, but the lonely tear I shed at the end of the book had me giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating. At first I had to get used to the lack of quotation marks whenever direct speech was incorporated into the story, which remained confusing albeit a little less as I continued. However, this is one of those books that will get you invested in its main characters since the reader gets to see both the events happening in their lives as well as the way Connell and Marianne look at life. You can’t really tell whether you like them or not, but you wish them well; after all, you know what goes on inside their minds and what has happened to them. You wish them well despite, no, because of their flaws. Because everyone’s flawed and so are you, and if they can find happiness, maybe it’s meant for you too.

Everything about this book felt so intense and complicated, even the ending, and I have to add that this is one of the books I believe should actually come with a few trigger warnings, maybe, if you’re not in the best place to read about certain issues.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Torture, Vomit, and Violence

gougoulf's review against another edition

emotional sad 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? Yes

4.0

This book was a surprise for me, since the ending is not what usually happens and quite abrupt. I loved the exploration of the two main characters and the way their personalities were so beautifully crafted. They weren’t necessarily lovable but felt real and honest, which you don’t find in a lot of books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Bullying

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence

Minor: Torture and Grief

shannonxvx's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Torture, Bullying, Sexism, Racism, Blood, Body shaming, and Death