Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

As I Lay Dying: The Corrected Text (Vintage International) by William Faulkner

7 reviews

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

1.0

God, this book was such a waste of my time. I only finished it because I had to read it for school. It’s god awful. It was never entirely clear what was happening, to whom, or why. Most of the dialogue and narration just repeats and repeats, which serves to clarify literally nothing. The adults fail the children at every turn, which is hugely upsetting. And while no, books don't have to have happy endings, hopeful endings, virtuous characters, or good morals, so help me, I can’t tell what lesson(s) I’m supposed to take away from the torture the characters go through at every turn. My professor told us that this is one of Faulker's more “accessible” novels, and I have to wonder how his other works can possibly be less accessible than this novel. This novel is just word salad. I wish I hadn’t been assigned this book because it’s such a slog and with no pay-off.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Death of parent, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Confinement, Cursing, Rape, Abandonment, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Vomit, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

lindseyas's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

3.75

I read this for my new English class, which is analysis of Southern literature. Having Faulkner as our first book was definitely an intense beginning, and "As I Lay Dying" was just the cherry on top to set the scene for the variety of insane tales we'd be reading in class. A story about being set in your ways and stuck in your born environment, Faulkner tells the story of a family that barely acts like one, characters that can't get out of their own personal ruts and a death that rocks even the strongest of people to their cores. "The poison trickles through," as they tend to say, and it doesn't just stop when you're born: no matter how old or physically/emotionally separated you are from your parents and family, you can become like them whether you like it or not. Poverty, class distinctions and the ravages of war — both on the battlefield and in the brain — tend to do that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abortion, Animal death, Death, Forced institutionalization, War, Classism, Pregnancy, Grief, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

brynhayes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Pregnancy

jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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

4.5

One of the weirdest books I’ve ever read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Vomit, Abortion, Body horror, Medical trauma, Death, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Infidelity, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Incest

tigeryear's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

1.5

naive of me to read this the same year my dad died! at least he was loved by many, unlike addie bundren. i'd almost excuse what her husband did to her (in life and as a corpse) if i didn't absolutely hate his guts, too. sorry poverty kicked you in the ass; could you NOT take it out on your children, you groveling bum?? (note: it's too much of an ask)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Child abuse, Bullying, Sexism, Abortion, Ableism, and Animal death

Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy

strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

4.0

I read this for school and it was one of the better books I’ve had to read for school. While very confusing at times, it is also enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racism, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Abortion, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Medical content

b_caligari's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, and Vomit

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Terminal illness

Minor: Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, and Toxic relationship