Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

6 reviews

jinmichae's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

This one didn't pull me in nearly as much as the others I've read by the author. It feels more like a biography than something with an overarching plot.

It mostly explores the full lives and loves of the main two characters and how they were affected by the Spanish Civil War, what was done in Chile on September 11, 1973, and other instances closer to their family. I enjoyed it--the writing was beautiful as always, the subject interesting and giving voice to parts of history I haven't encountered before--but because it was many narratives coming together, it didn't have as much focus as I prefer.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Deportation, Medical content, Pregnancy, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Xenophobia, Dementia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Torture, Gore, Terminal illness, and Genocide

Minor: Addiction, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Rape, Cancer, Abortion, Confinement, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Racism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Colonisation, and Homophobia

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

This gets an extra star exclusively for the fact that the man whose life this book was based on died 6 days before Allende could give him the final manuscript and tell him she dedicated it to him. The main plot of this book is the long and painful lives of Victor and Roser. The background of their lives includes the Spanish Civil war and political unrest in Chile. Unfortunately this book is boring. Because it never settles on a time period and elaborates on feelings and growth of the main characters, this story falls flat for me. The characters are flawed (as most people are) but, they spend almost no time ruminating or atoning for things like cheating or lying. I just couldn't bring myself to care about anyone or anything in this book. Allende is a beautiful writer I just think this is a boring story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Antisemitism, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Medical content, Sexism, Torture, War, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Colonisation, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Body horror, Cancer, Deportation, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, and Slavery

maevebm's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Another beautiful story. This serves as a reminder of the pointlessness of war and violence, yet demonstrates the resiliency and determination of humanity. The characters were independent and flawed, and their interactions with one another felt genuine. As always, Allende’s prose flowed and felt like a friend recounting memories. What made this book so special, was knowing how closely Allende’s and her family’s history so close echo it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Torture, War, Classism, Deportation, Death, Xenophobia, Violence, and Genocide

Moderate: Child death and Terminal illness

Minor: Pregnancy and Medical content

jhbandcats's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative 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? Yes

4.0

I neglected to write a review when I read this a year and a half ago and I don’t remember enough of it now to comment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, War, and Genocide

mesulkin's review against another edition

adventurous reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma, Classism, Violence, War, Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Medical content

Minor: Terminal illness, Blood, Cancer, Fatphobia, Suicide, Death, Genocide, Police brutality, Body shaming, Child death, Death of parent, and Murder

bridgetkay's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Allende handled the historical context well, deftly placing her protagonists as Catalan refugees from the Spanish civil war who establish a new home in Chile, only for that to result in a dictatorship also. However, the setting is not the focus of the novel, with relationships being what anchors this novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, and War

Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Genocide, Xenophobia, Child death, Miscarriage, Violence, Sexual violence, Cancer, Police brutality, Rape, and Pregnancy