Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Blindness by José Saramago

86 reviews

hihayley's review

dark tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Sexual violence

cultclassics's review

challenging dark hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence

madihoney's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Loved the premise of the book but extremely difficult to read. About 1 paragraph break per page, no quotation marks to indicate dialogue and no one has a real name (ie the doctor's wife, the pharmacist’s assistant, etc)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, and Confinement

diana311's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment

silversomber's review

challenging dark hopeful sad slow-paced

5.0

It can take a little adjusting to the lack of quotation marks for speech, but that is one of the only 'faults' I can think of. This is book is beautiful, sad, and a look into humanity at it's core- the darkest parts and the lightest. Reflecting back on it post pandemic gives it new light, seeing how that first sweeping panic and uncertainty gripped the world, and the last impact it can leave.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, Ableism, and Sexual assault

slrsnz's review

challenging dark reflective 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? No

4.5

Saramago is not for everyone, people that need structured readings will certainly struggle with his novels. 

That being said, this is my second book by him and his imagination amazes me. Truly makes you wonder about how fragile society can be in extreme situations like this, and how dependent we are of everyone, how connected we all are in one way or another. The story having a “good ending” doesn’t save the characters from all the hurdles they have yet to go through to return to a modern society. 

Saramago is slowly becoming one of my favorites, you honestly get used to the dialogues and at times to me they flow way smoother than structured ones. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Murder, Rape, Violence, Vomit, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, and Sexual violence

sappypatheticm's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Vomit, Confinement, and Gun violence

_ami_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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? No

4.0

That was a very hard read, not because of the lack of quotation marks or paragraphing, but that halfway. I felt sick to my stomach. But it was a great story that explores the human mind and behaviour at these circumstances.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Police brutality, Pandemic/Epidemic, Misogyny, Murder, Confinement, Death, Rape, Gore, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Grief and Infidelity

requiredreading's review

challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

The kind of book and the style of writing and the depth of thought that make literature seem like a worthwhile pursuit in an often meaningless world. 

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Content Warnings

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

rheagoveas's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Terminal illness, Death, Violence, and Rape