Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

La hija de la española by Karina Sainz Borgo

12 reviews

hannahleewhite's review against another edition

dark reflective sad

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Torture, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual violence, Murder, Cancer, Grief, and Fatphobia

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, and Excrement

dannb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A front row seat to incredible loss and grieving, the only parent you know and your city and your country.  Set in 2014 Caracas during revolution protests of the government while the typical Caracan tries to live from one day to the next in the midst of corruption and insane inflation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Torture, and Police brutality

Moderate: Death of parent and Panic attacks/disorders

mrlsdevos's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, and War

Minor: Cancer and Animal death

bookswithcuppatea's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

This was a hard book to read.
I liked the style of the author and translator. I really enjoyed the lighter, more positive interludes from Adelaida's childhood, although even then not all of her memories are lighthearted.

I am glad I have read this book, but I wouldn't reread it. The first half of the book contained a lot of shocks and graphic scenes, and I wasn't sure I would be able to cope with what might happen once Adelaida lost her apartment to squatters.

And yet, I found the second half easier to read.

Once Adelaida encountered Sebastian I read the rest of the book the same day.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Police brutality and Death

jayisreading's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-paced

1.75

I found this novel really monotonous. There wasn’t anything gripping about what was happening, despite the very real political tensions in Venezuela impacting citizens. Unfortunately, the story lacked substance and, to me, I got the impression that Sainz Borgo was relying heavily on the reader to be fixated on the turbulence of the country to make up for the cluttered organization of the book and its lackluster protagonist, Adelaida. On that note, I can’t help but feel that this novel was not telling the full story. The ramifications of US imperialism in Venezuela (and Latin America, more broadly) was never mentioned, for one. While my understanding of modern Venezuelan history is limited, I know enough to be wary of media that doesn’t highlight this fact. I also felt there was something voyeuristic about the everyday violence that people were facing in the novel. Perhaps this is a result of the author’s journalist background, but whatever the reason may be, it didn’t sit well with me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, War, Gun violence, Violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Rape

stindex's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Violence, and War

rebekka_m's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

daniellekat's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

1.75

While the focus on Venezuela’s political unrest was an interesting history that I am not familiar with, this book was just too slow paced. The main character was boring and unlikeable. The narrative alternated between past & present in weird halting and confusing jumps. The writing was overly metaphorical and came across as trying too hard. I think the actual story had potential but this missed the mark. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Gun violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Confinement

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Excrement, Vomit, Rape, and Pregnancy

ameliez's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, and Police brutality

amkarina's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.25

Este é um livro que deve ser lido como ficção por mais que tenhamos vislumbres da realidade no país. A própria autora deixa claro no fim do livro que não é para ser lido como testemunho e sim como ficção.

Dito isto, é extremamente difícil de ler a partes de violência explícita mas ao mesmo tempo, necessária para que tenhamos noção do medo que a personagem sente. É possível ver como o medo e a fome corrompem não só a personagem mas também a nação. Os flashbacks sem aviso nos transportam há tempos mais amenos, e isso abranda, como um escape para o leitor e para a personagem das partes mais duras. Medo, luto, desespero e raiva são tema central desse livro. 

A parte política, não comentarei por raso conhecimento.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, War, Vomit, Torture, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Cursing, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment