Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Cantoras by Caro De Robertis

65 reviews

fleursreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.75

such an incredible capsule of what it was like to be queer during uruguay's dictatorship

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Grief, Infidelity, Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Outing, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Rape

aecatec's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Homophobia, Suicide, and Domestic abuse

umbellule's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Torture, Suicide, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Animal death and Transphobia

there are mentions of sea lions being hunted and killed, but this happens 'offscreen' and is not graphically described. one of the main characters is a butcher, and their work is described, but no animals are killed on the page. there are a couple of brief mentions of 'crossdressers', who are described as men who like to dress as women; they are described without any malice, but are gendered only with he/him, which may sound transphobic depending on one's own cultural context. there are two mentions of sexual encounters involving underage people, which the now-grown people still describe as consensual. this is, however, not glamorised or fetishised. there is a flashback scene involving forced institutionalisation and torture. there are multiple flashbacks involving rape, including underaged rape and marital rape, though these are not graphic.

there is a graphic suicide scene, by falling, from the point of view of the one dying.

franklola's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual assault, War, Death, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Rape

linguaphile412's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Suicide

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Torture, Miscarriage, and Antisemitism

megangour's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, and Sexual assault

amccarthy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Homophobia, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Infidelity, and Sexual violence

annreadsabook's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I'd read a couple rave reviews of CANTORAS going into this book, so I had fairly high expectations which were all absolutely met and, I think, exceeded.

CANTORAS tells the story of five queer women living in 1970s Uruguay, a period during which many were disappeared, imprisoned, tortured, and even killed. In the midst of this immense suffering, they struggle to find a place of their own in the world away from the dangers and routines of their home city of Montevideo. Each of the five women comes to the sleepy seaside town of Cabo Polonio with their respective emotional turmoil and personal crises, but find within each other the steadfast community they deeply needed. Over the subsequent years, we watch each of these women find and lose love, navigate the violent military regime in Uruguay, and fall in and out of friendship within their small group of “cantoras” in a society where homosexuality is outlawed with life-threatening consequences. 

I was thoroughly transported to Cabo Polonio during the women’s excursions, and could feel a marked shift from the claustrophobia and terror within Montevideo to the more freeing air of the seascape. You grow a deep fondness for each of the characters as they themselves grow more into themselves; this is the kind of novel that leaves you with the simultaneously dreaded and beloved Book Hangover.

I think this is an excellent read for those who are wary of historical fiction, as there was never a time at which I felt I was bogged down in dense blocks of historical exposition. I read this book in only two sittings—it’s just that good. I truly can’t wait to get my hands on another De Robertis book.

Please be sure to check out the content warnings for this book, as it addresses some extremely heavy topics, some in more detail than others.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, and Suicide

Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual assault

nibs's review

emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

Probably my highlight of 2022. This book is so intimage and human and its all about friendship and building a community and safety together.

I want to cherish this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, and Adult/minor relationship

melsuke's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Homophobia