Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

130 reviews

cpratreads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense 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

2.5

This book was fine. I struggle to explain exactly how I feel about it. I find Moshfegh's writing to be very easy to read, and I certainly read this book quickly. I did want to know where the story would go. But I didn't enjoy the story. 

I think part of that is that I had my own idea of what it was going to be, and boy was I wrong. But also, it just felt mean? 

I know it's "historical" fiction but it's also fantasy, and Lapvona isn't a real place, so you can really make the rules whatever you want. 

the way EVERYONE treated Marek was so mean and dehumanizing. If you're making up the rules of the land, you don't need every single person to comment on how "monstrous" and "disgusting" he is every chance you get. On top of that there was a very unneccesary rape scene that was very hard to get through.

 

Overall, I don't want to read it again, and I don't think I would even recommend it to anyone honestly. 

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Cannibalism, Gore, Ableism, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault and Child abuse

cheuksin's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Child death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Animal death, Gore, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Abortion, Ableism, Animal cruelty, and Incest

Minor: Excrement and Miscarriage

kozumethan's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Pedophilia, Ableism, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse

franniiia's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, and Excrement

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Cannibalism

orlagal's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Incest, Abortion, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Vomit, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Classism, Pedophilia, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

toujours753's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Chronic illness, Violence, Abandonment, Body shaming, Torture, Vomit, Gaslighting, Excrement, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Infertility, Incest, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Stalking

kayla_wikaryasz's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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

0.5

This book was gross. Not even in a good way. Clearly this author is talented, but the story was so perverse that it seemed they were just going for shock value. I only finished it because I invested too much time into it already, and was hopeful that it would at least end in a meaningful way. It didn't. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Blood, Mental illness, Death, Animal death, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Rape, Medical trauma, Gore, Ableism, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Violence, Sexism, Miscarriage, Self harm, Religious bigotry, and Animal cruelty

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

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

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