Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

173 reviews

ahoyitsjoy's review against another edition

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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Such a good book. Very confusing, but everything comes together well in the end. I found the librarians, and especially Carolyn, so fascinating. The book almost never explicitly tells you what's going on with her, but there's so much between what's said and unsaid that makes her one of the most interesting characters I've ever read about. The writing is so good at effortlessly moving between brutal violence and horror, absurd humor, and brief moments of quiet contemplation of what it means to be human. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Emotional abuse, Child death, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Child abuse, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, and Death

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Alcohol, Suicide, Mental illness, Rape, and Body horror

Minor: Genocide, Car accident, Vomit, Excrement, and War

pinkyoshi's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Self harm, Grief, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Bullying, Physical abuse, Rape, War, Death of parent, Torture, Sexual content, Child death, Child abuse, Mass/school shootings, Death, Body horror, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Minor: Car accident

katieo156's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

This was baffling. I'm not sure I truly liked a single character- Erwin was someone you liked against your own better judgement, and Steve was so clearly a plot device masquerading as a character

which makes sense!

that he didn't really reach personhood for me. I disliked

Father's characterization after resurrection- even with Carolyn in his place power wise it was too strong of a switch to friendly, humorous Dad, especially after we got to see him as "Mr. Black" where he looks at Carolyn with love exactly one time.

It took me forever to get through for a story I was enjoying, or at least intrigued by, but when I finished it I immediately recommended it to three people with strong stomachs. I do like a book with cold divinity, a horror twist, and foreshadowing that makes you pause in disbelief/anger/amusement once it clicks, so in that sense, this book was right up my alley. I'm glad I went into it blind outside of "it was weird" because I got to feel out every inch of weirdness myself. This is one of those books that feels like it fell into the author's head fully formed because I can't understand how the hell he fit all of it in there in the first place. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

melgal's review against another edition

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Bullying

kathryn0628's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Weird.  Very weird.  But also, very original.  I think with the fantasy genre (which I love,) it's common to see similar plots and characters from book to book/author to author.  The library at Mount Char is as far away from those similarities as you could possibly get.  This unlike any story I've ever read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Drug use, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Child abuse, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Torture

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

colorado_southpaw's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, and Torture

wyabook234's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Gore, and Animal death

Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, and Rape

memyselfandbecca's review

adventurous challenging medium-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? No

4.25

This is a very ambitious book that throws you in and you either sink or swim. But if you keep going it is a massive pay off. 
The world slowly comes together and I'd love to read more within it. 
The charters that are focused on are engaging and complex but can take some time to get your head around. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Torture, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Violence, War, and Animal death

uncica's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow! What a book. I have never read anything like it. 

The Library at Mount Char is original, unique, weird, funny, mysterious, violent, captivating, and just plain smart. I was even more impressed when I found out that the author, Scott Hawkins, is an IT guy who, aside from the Library at Mount Char, only ever published technical books. 

The less you know before you start reading, the better! 

I HIGHLY recommend this book! Scott Hawkins, please write more!!! 

...genuine emotion is the very essence of self. It cannot ever be unfelt, cannot be ignored, cannot even be rechanneled for very long.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, War, Confinement, Drug use, Grief, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Child abuse, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder