Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

26 reviews

tetrootz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Suicide, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Body horror, War, Sexual content, Cursing, Chronic illness, Car accident, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Death, Animal death, Blood, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Rape, Religious bigotry, Murder, Medical content, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, Child abuse, Child death, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Addiction, and Abandonment

abookwormspov's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This was absolutely insane. Deeply unsettling. And it ruled.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Alcohol, Self harm, War, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Slavery, Toxic friendship, and Violence

carbs666's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Ok first of all: huge TW for literally every thing you could possibly imagine and a bunch of stuff you couldn't. Now I'm going to try to describe what I liked and disliked without spoilers, which is difficult so bear with me.

I liked how conversationally the book is written, how wacky the characters are (real people are wacky so this made them really whole to me), and how even when the narrative is taken over by one character's POV it maintains a good omniscient remove. I also liked how intricate the book was and how the author released just enough information about the central mystery to keep you paying attention. There are no throw-away scenes in this book; absolutely everything matters.

The core thing I didn't like about the book is that I thought the final act was a bit drawn out, and while I did think Carolyn experienced some growth of character I felt the implication that things work out for her was somewhat.....unearned? Absolute power corrupts absolutely and all that. 

Anyways, if you like weird-ass books and aren't troubled by some of the most horrifying, traumatic shit that can happen to a person, you're gonna love this book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Torture, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Violence, War, Addiction, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicide

a_littledragon's review

dark emotional funny sad 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? Yes

5.0

Whoo boy— are you in for quite a ride when you pick up this book. There’s action. There’s angst. There’s humor. There’s weird sci fi concepts. There’s cool world building. There’s a wild plot twist. This book has it all and so much more in this short amount of pages. But man, was it good! I love Carolyn. Seeing her personality and character in general progress throughout the story and plot. Reading her plan form and have it take place. (I know some people have a qualm about her being gone/away from us for too long — but you connect with the other characters and povs I feel).
I didn’t expect to think this highly of this book when I picked it up for a “light read” in between fantasy or sci-fi books. But it was an awesome ride (excluding the animal cruelty and rape parts- which I want to note for those who pick it up or want to. two moments where these are described/talked about). Probably even more if you went in blind. Pick it up!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, and Suicide

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Suicide, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Rape, and Animal death

rely's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

Brilliant, thought provoking

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, War, Grief, Gun violence, Torture, Child death, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Cancer, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Rape

lottie1803's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual content, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail

mgwarnstedt's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Sexual violence, Blood, Rape, and Murder

jodar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

3.75

This is a fantasy novel with a strong science fiction, metaphysical, multiple-universes bent (“there’s no such thing as magic”). Along the way it did feel rather weird and the storyline a little disjointed, but by the end it’s clear why that is. What worried me for quite a while was what appeared to be extreme, gratuitous violence, especially the violence against children. But the rationale for the violence was explained well and is integral to the novel. A novelty to me was having a demiurge as a pivotal character.

I found the characters were well portrayed, the MC relatable (despite getting pretty extreme psychologically), the dialogue flowed naturally and the plot moved along at a moderate pace without bogging down. There’s even some nicely pitched humour, particularly aimed against the foibles and excesses of Americans. The story is well-grounded, too, even though at various times the reader is confronted by a wide-sweeping, multiple-time-and-space viewpoint. I kept wanting to pick up the book again each time, which is a good sign.

Themes that for me lifted this novel above a simple “fun read”: the dark side of power, especially power over others’ welfare and lives; friendship and authentic love; true versus apparent strength; the search for meaning; the ultimate mystery of existence.

An impressive first novel by the author. I’d be keen to read any sequel, as the ending hinted there may be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Death of parent, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Suicide, Cursing, and Sexual assault

Minor: Car accident and Vomit

jkauffman503's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Cursing, and Death of parent

gondorgirl's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Rape, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Suicide, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide attempt, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit