Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

47 reviews

jabberwalky's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

A window into the generously disturbing part of humanity or lack there of. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Misogyny, Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Self harm, Incest, Pregnancy, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Cannibalism

Minor: Cursing

dannilmp's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-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

2.0

Once again, another head scratching book by Moshfegh with a just as ambigious ending. The only other book I have read by this author is My Year of Rest and Relaxation but I can see some consistency in the writing. Cetainly a good book to read if you are looking for something dark, mysterious but also like endings that leave you thinking. I'm starting to notice a theme with Moshfegh's books. The pacing appears slow in the beginning but you hit a major event at about 75% and then the last quarter feels like it was only ten pages but there is enough content to sink the titanic! 

I did not really enjoy this novel so finding something positive to say is difficult. However, despite the dark themes of this book, there were occasions that had me laughing as there were quite humurous. The ability to write characters and to be able to viserally hate every single one of them, but I still want to read every word? Amazing, but not a book I will ever read again. Make sure to prepare some good eye bleach and take plenty of rest breaks while reading this book. 

Looking at the downsides to this novel, it felt as though a lot of the scenes were made even more gory or stomach churning for effect rather than plot purposes. Make sure to read content warnings carefully before venturing to read this novel. Not a single character had a single redeeming trait in their bones and some characters were certainly worse than others! Despite the fact that there were clearly some otherworlding magic things happening in this world, the setting felt strangely comparable to our physical world, especially concerning topics such as public unrest, greed/hoarding wealth, poverty and famine. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Suicide, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Murder, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Pregnancy

quietlex's review against another edition

dark funny sad tense 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

5.0

I loved this book. It’s disturbing, uncomfortable, and makes you feel icky inside, but it is written beautifully. So many horrible things happen- sexual assault, imprisonment, suicide, cannibalism, murder, drought, starvation, greed, religious trauma… and lots more I won’t mention, this book has it all. You hate every character, yet can’t wait to turn the page to see what they do next. Nothing is predictable, besides maybe the legitimacy of heirs. Trigger warnings galore, but a captivating story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Incest, Child death, Cannibalism, Rape, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Death, Child abuse, Blood, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual assault, Grief, Excrement, Animal death, Abortion, Sexual harassment, and Murder

sweetpea's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

1.5

I had a difficult start with the first 1/3 of the book. Put it down for months and then read it all in one sitting. I felt I had no entry point for any of the characters. Truly all were unlikable, which is not a fault in and of itself, but the way they were written was so alien to me that I could not be remotely invested.  The characters seem to survive off spite. Mosfegh's obsession with bodily functions and filth, while curiously funny in other works, was so tiresome here!  There was something generally underbaked about the novel. I'm not a deeply religious person, so, the novel's central themes of faith and religious artifice might have gone over my head. This was just a chore to get into and a bit predictable (again not a fault). The setting was really intriguing to me and I could tell she put effort into researching it. I just felt the story never went anywhere... 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Death of parent, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, Vomit, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Excrement, Kidnapping, Rape, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Miscarriage and Abortion

ropalimpia's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This is probably my favorite book that I've read this all year, and I picked it up as a hate read. After having read My Year of Rest and Relaxation a while ago and having absolutely abhorred it, this felt entirely different. It was disgusting, grotesque, gory, it smelled bad. It felt like a project in filth, immorality, religion, class, and abusive family dynamics. This book is "Religion is the opium of the masses. It is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of the heartless world, and the soul of our soulless conditions": The Novel. Most of the dynamics present in Lapvona were the rich looking down on the poor for being too pious, stupid, and easy to manipulate, and the poor looking down on the rich for being too indulgent, stupid, and distant from God.

Lapvona is not for the reader who turns to reading for comfort and escapism. It's not even for readers who want to read about the complexities of the human condition. It's not for readers who want a creepy horror read. Everything in this book is exaggerated and digusting. It's meant to cause revulsion in the reader. I'm not someone who is easily fazed by text, but there were times when I would physically cringe, but over time, you grow numb to the vile acts. It's like you become one of them. 

I really loved this book. I loved Moshfegh's project. I loved how much care she put into something so irreverent. It's not something I would recommend to anyone, frankly, but, for me, it's the single best book I've read all year. I like to be uncomfortable. Maybe that's it. This is for the reader who wants to be uncomfortable, but still enjoys amazing writing. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Gore, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Vomit, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child death, Death, Classism, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Kidnapping, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcohol, Excrement, and Incest

bontals's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense 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

4.0

“Will you pray for them, Father?’
‘Of course. I’ll speak to God directly.”

A dark and brutal book. Truly stomach churning at times. A fucked up mirror into Western lives, both as lord and peasant. I love magical realism.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Gore, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Cannibalism, Child death, Death of parent, Incest, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Abortion, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Slavery, Physical abuse, and Torture

reggiewoods's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

2.75

Life is nasty, short, brutish and cruel, especially in Lapvona. Really nasty. Flat out disgusting. Gross. The question is, why? Moshfegh is going to great lengths to turn our stomachs, but what is it she’s trying to get us to see? Honestly, I don’t know. Maybe some morality tale about income inequality or nepotism? I think I have to agree with the critics and say she just wants to gross us out. It’s a one-note story, misery, and that note is played on a group of characters that have very little to like about themselves or one another. The plot is interesting, but the characters lack of interest in one another really mutes what should be very striking moments. It is much better written than what you would expect from fetishist fiction, but beyond that shock value I’m not sure what else it offers to entice readers. I only recommend if you delight in the repulsive. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Misogyny, Grief, Gore, Death, Blood, Vomit, Torture, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Classism, Child death, Cannibalism, Animal death, Rape, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Abortion, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, and Ableism

tamimin's review against another edition

dark fast-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

4.0

An a24 movie in a book. That's all you need to know 😂

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Rape, Pedophilia, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Gore, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Kidnapping, and Misogyny

Minor: Bullying, Drug use, and Eating disorder

redwrapped's review against another edition

dark funny sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Lapvona reaches into mankind's worst urges and fantasies, and boldly shows off the depravity that people reach within short periods of time from the craving and attainment of power and the desire for self-importance, and framed in a familiar, sickening way: politicians and religious leaders manipulating and abusing the people they are supposed to help protect and lead to civility and salvation.

The village of Lapvona brags on its fertile dirt, capable of growing anything. But it cannot grow any fruit or vegetables when there's a horrible drought and the only source of water is dammed and stored only for the lord and his manor's usage, but not dispersed to the masses of people who desert their traditional vegetarianism and resort to eating dogs and anything else in their hunger-induced depravity.

"Religion is the opiate of the masses" is examined closely through every aspect of their lives, showing in no unsparing detail how corrupt, selfish, and desperate mankind is to designate meaning to anything, no matter how meaningless and manmade their problems are. Why should God forgive when God didn't even mete out the punishment, but the feudal lord who is both too stupid and too greedy to stop his accomplices from pillaging and depriving the villagers? But the villagers are too stupid and engrossed in their own problems to usually realize that. And then they actually believe that their lord will serve as a father figure to a new Immaculately-conceived Christ child and think of their village as saintly and holy, chosen for a higher purpose.

It's a grim but realistic approach to the political and religious aspect of the novel, but it has a surprisingly warm (but still wicked and morally-decrepit) version of the Prince and the Pauper. And stark, clear-eyed realism gives way to more a fantastical, creepy version of a wise woman who initially serves as a wet nurse for all of Lapvona before growing old and seeking a way to remain relevant to the village.

Moshfegh blends together folk-horror, comedy, biblical allusions, history that repeats itself, grotesque fairy tales (of the Slavic/Eastern European variety, usually the grimmest and scariest of all the folklore and fairy tales), and a series of archetypes as old as time to form one unforgettably bleak and twisted story in a way that only Moshfegh could pull off.

Despite straying farther from her body of work than ever before, Moshfegh has dared to write a book that diverges significantly from the beaten path, and has created Lapvona: a wholly original, unforgettable, and unmistakable tale. (And I LOVED it.)

Thanks to Penguin Press and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Abandonment, Classism, Kidnapping, and Gore

sarahgr's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Genocide, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, and Torture