Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

243 reviews

racbuckallew's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.75

Not sure what in the literal hell I just read but it was extremely well written for what it was!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cannibalism, Gore, Rape, Animal death, and Child death

Minor: Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, and Abortion

hedsek's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.0

A train wreck I couldn't look away from but in the end I wonder if there's any point to this book. Idk it just feels over the top ironic with how meaningless all the violence and gore is when all it seems to say is religion bad and humans bad.

Maybe it's because I'm used to fucked up stuff from reading Dutch literature but it's not as shocking as some reviews make it out. Still, unpleasant stuff. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Abandonment, Excrement, Murder, Rape, Body horror, Classism, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Animal death, Child death, Self harm, Sexism, Pedophilia, Ableism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Vomit, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Suicide, Addiction, and Suicidal thoughts

baileyherman's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abortion, Alcohol, Suicide, Child abuse, Classism, Child death, Incest, Mental illness, Gore, Rape, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Death, and Death of parent

zombiepond's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.25

Frankly I don’t quite know what I’ve just read. Lots of weird people doing gross things and being pretty terrible. It’s written very straightforwardly, which wasn’t a bad thing, it was just very sequential if that makes sense. Like I said, some of the things these people do are very gross and occasionally hard to get through and I often wondered if I even wanted to finish it and I think the only reason I did was because I had no clue where the plot was going and I was curious how it would play out and how many more weird and terrible things these people could do. Interesting read I guess? The plot kept me reading but I don’t honestly know how I feel about this book. I guess read it if you want to read about some sick people doing some genuinely sick things. I know I’m probably missing out on something here that I maybe just didn’t pick up but i thought it was pretty disgusting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Rape, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol and Body horror

Minor: Suicide, Animal death, Ableism, Pregnancy, and Classism

zlizzyv's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

2.0

This was easily the strangest book I have ever read. Previous reviews said it felt like a fever dream. Truly it is beyond wild. I was, however, invested, so I did finish it and was surprised by the plot line/ending.

Was the point to be as repulsive and evil as possible? Is it a cruel irony to have so many trigger warnings in one book?

I do not regret finishing the book, but I cannot say I enjoyed it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Abortion, Alcohol, Confinement, Drug use, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Child death, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexism, Grief, Medical content, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Slavery, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

mahhias's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.0

What a book! Such a new perspective and storytelling. This is my first Ottessa book and  I loved Moshfegh’s techniques in story telling!  

 I will say however that I felt the book lacked some good-quality writing, there was stilted, almost blunt dialogue, and it made the experience a bit frail. The plot was a bit more mediocre than I expected and there was nothing remotely off-putting or grotesque as people were suggesting. Had my hopes very HIGH: so I was utterly disappointed by this. I think a lot of people say this since it’s probably their first book with this sort of sensitive topics and odd, wicked elements. 
So, people, don’t be so sensitive. You guys have not read books that are GROTESQUE and truly DISGUSTING yet. Do not be that dramatic. There is so many books out there that would perfectly fit the description that Lapvona is depicted as way better. 

I am fond of Lapvona in a way: but it’s not enough for me to really, really like it: there is gross imagery, most of it relating to bodily fluids and excrement, which I found super: disgusting (and this is the only disgusting thing I found in this book even though I was promised more)  and it’s darkly comedic prose, which I did liked this, sometimes, but it was done so many times that I found it super banal.

I feel this book could’ve been a bit better: but overall, this book was enjoyable and it had me very motivated to keep reading. Had me disappointed: of course, but It’s so bleak and satisfying at times. Good book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Rape, Cannibalism, Ableism, Pedophilia, Incest, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse

Moderate: Murder, Miscarriage, Excrement, Drug use, Blood, Death, Abortion, Self harm, Gore, and Violence

Minor: Gaslighting and Suicidal thoughts

paigehf's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Miscarriage, Murder, Ableism, Abortion, Incest, Self harm, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Body horror, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Gore

emilymyra's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Abortion, Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Murder, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Physical abuse

alexandrabelze's review against another edition

i barely got into this book before dnfing bc i could tell that i wasn’t going to like it. not at all what i was expecting? very dark and uncomfortable for me. this feels like another otessa moshfegh mcglue to me so i just stopped while i was ahead. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Death

uranuz's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Gore, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Excrement, Physical abuse, Child death, Rape, and Sexual violence