Reviews with content warning for Pedophilia - Lapvona

This book has amazing writing, and I often found myself having to put the book down and return to it later because of the gruesome horrors imprinted through the language.
Horror isn't a genre I typically read, but Moshfegh's beautiful style of writing is one that I definitely enjoyed.

However, I found myself losing interest in the second half of the book. It felt as though the development and journey of the characters fell short through their abrupt deaths.

In the end, I really was expecting more, and it felt a more forced read in the end for me.
This ultimately comes down to reading practices and the atmosphere one is looking for when they're going in for a read. I wasn't reading this to analyse or really to engage my brain at all, and saw it as more of an avenue for entertainment, and this felt like a missed opportunity.

This book is so character focused, and the result is an array of equally complex and compelling characters, each with their own backstory and ability to alter the course of the plot.
I think this is where I lost the direction of the story, because so much of it extends to the village of Lapovna as a whole. As the story progressed, more and more characters were introduced, developed and explained, but I wasn't able to find a connecting link outside the physical acquaintances and relationships between the characters.

I think I definitely have to revisit this book in another time, but it seems that horror is just not something I can handle.

Content Warnings

laurenleannereads's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

amelieedenn's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.5

reading this was kind of like witnessing a car crash - awful but I also couldn’t look away

Content Warnings

filesm's review against another edition

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dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Wow y’all really mad at Ottessa for this one… it’s not her fault medieval people were freaks!
I imagined Jude as Rhett from GMM and now I’m kinda scared of Rhett :,(

Content Warnings

tiaroseshang's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny tense medium-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

5.0

Content Warnings

cheuksin's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Generally one of the most disturbing books I’ve ever read. I hated every single one the characters

(except lispeth, dibra Agata they were mostly innocent bc as far as I can remember)

. I was told it was weird but wow was I shocked at this true extent of how bizarre and uncomfortable it would be. One of the most in depth books when it comes to critiques of religion, patriarchy and capitalism and just overall so well thought out

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