Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Bluebeard's Castle by Anna Biller

5 reviews

whitneyfoster's review

dark tense 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? It's complicated

2.75

I picked this up because I'm in a phase where I'm exploring gothic fiction and I was excited to come across this. The cover makes me think of the old romance bodice rippers. I’ve heard “erotic romance” to describe this but I’m not so sure. There’s definitely a lot of spice that I skimmed over, but sex wasn’t at the fore front even though they talked about it enough. 

Bluebeard's Castle is marketed as a "feminist retelling" of the French folk tale of Bluebeard. I honestly did not get the "feminist" part of the retelling. The protagonist seemed to be pretty obsessed with men even though she had a career and her own money. 

I understand that the writer was trying to realistically protray what its like to be in an abusive relationship, but the protagonist seemed quiet passive. She wasn't even trying to help herself. The book seemed to read like a teenage diary entry. I love him, no I hate him, no I love him! I have read a lot of stories that more effectively portray domestic violence.

Despite the cover, this novel takes place in the modern day, which I think the writer forgets at times. Other than random mentions of modern conveniences like Google, it seems like the author wants this to take place in another era. 

One thing I would change about this novel is to shorten the descriptions. There would be 2-3 pages just describing a room in the castle. I skimmed a good bunch of it. I did find myself caring about the characters enough to know what happens and I don't regret reading the book. I'd recommend this for anyone who loves gothic fiction/thrillers and/or dark romance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Blood and Vomit

elizalk's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

3.0

Anna Biller's style is so distinct, I didn't love it at first, but picturing it in my mind in the same style as her movie the love witch helped the book grow on me. desperately sad and accurate depiction of the justifications many women make to stay with (evil) men. the story felt like promising young women if it were written better, still left me a bit unsatisfied

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment

astudyinsass's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

The cat should have lived. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Murder

katietregs's review

dark funny mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.25

I still hope this becomes a movie! I picked this up because I absolutely adore the Love Witch, and I think if you like Anna Biller’s movies, then you’ll enjoy this book. She does a masterful job of translating the language of movies into her writing, and I think the tongue in cheek nature of the Love Witch is ever present in Bluebeards’s castle. It’s dark and disturbing, but the melodrama elevates it to something more enjoyable than a story of a smart woman falling victim to an abusive man. It’s equal parts poignant and parody. 

That said, I did find that it started to drag a bit at the 3/4s mark.

In hindsight, I appreciate how the writing became more frantic and train-of-thought as Judith started spiraling. But while I was reading I found myself getting a little bored by the page after page of circular thinking. I think some people might dislike the very straightforward description of Gavin’s crimes at the end, as it left little room for interpretation, but I think it was important that reader’s were invited to look at their own potentially problematic interpretations of the story. 

Overall, I’m very impressed by Biller’s writing. This book felt really fresh and different to me, and I’m glad I picked it up.  Like the Love Witch, this isn’t for everybody, but it’s worth your time if you like romance books and golden-age thrillers, but tire of the problematic tropes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Confinement, Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

This book is meant to paint a sympathetic picture of how women become trapped in abusive relationships.

princess_araya's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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

4.5

A beautiful love letter to the Gothic genre. Feminist readers can have their cake and eat it too, with the story’s self awareness and moments of reflection on genre tropes with modern terminology… while still delivering all of the delicious beats handpicked from Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Rebecca and the like. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Physical abuse, Vomit, and Death of parent