Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

43 reviews

mclaravlm's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Torture, Rape, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

angelaf's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

The House of the Spirits was an experience. I am glad I read it, but it was a lot. I loved the magical realism, but more telling than showing and the lack of dialogue made it drag. However, it did pique my interest in reading more South American authors and learning more about South American history. Read if you enjoy: magical realism, multi-generational sagas, women in translation

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Animal cruelty

mandamae's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Animal death, Sexual assault, Rape, and Animal cruelty

lorenag5's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Classism, Sexual violence, Abortion, Blood, Car accident, Slavery, Torture, Rape, Sexism, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, War, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Violence, Animal death, Colonisation, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

george_tte's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

Un clásico con toda razón. Es un libro que no teme hablar de cosas horribles, pero sigue contándote y no te queda de otra que continuar leyendo. Isabel Allende tiene un don para crear personajes que se sienten reales y sinceros. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Abortion, Violence, Rape, and Confinement

oanac's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, and Rape

katiereuter3's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, and Animal cruelty

fatoodles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

I am so torn about this book... It took me forever to read but always stayed with me.

I fell in love with Clara and loved her so deeply and in contrast I hated Estaban sooooo much but always hoped that he would change and be a better man. 
Otherwise I had a hard time connecting to many of the other characters as the choices they made... Made so little sense. 

I was really bothered by all the casual rape in this book. As well as the other traumatic situations that just felt dumped down into the story. I didn't look into what the book was about prior to starting and so I was surprised at the direction the story took. That being said politics was mentioned all throughout the story and so I'm not sure why I was so surprised. I also know the history and so I knew we would be talking about the civil war... I just thought it'd be lighter. 

I loved the prose and I appreciated my time with this family. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

riffmonkey's review against another edition

dark sad 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

1.0

I in no way understand why my mother recommended this. I also do not get why the rating of this book is so high by so many people. In the first chapter, there was already much unnecessary grossness and violence towards women. But in the second it was even worse, and it did not get better as the book went on. Call me crazy but I would rather not read a whole chapter about some racist, misogynistic, child-raping paedophile having a tirade about how much better he is than everyone else and trying to justify his slave-owning ass. 

I do not want to read about exploitation or rape. I do not give a shit about torture and the most dark psychological hellscape you can come up with. But just 500 pages of a garbage human ruining the lives of this magical family made me feel sick to my stomach. It's a fucking miracle I even finished this book although I am quite sure I was dissociated for the last 2 chapters at least. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Moderate: Torture

smuds2's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

So close to a 5, there were just some gratuitous scenes that I felt didn’t add to the characters portrayed in them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Torture, Murder, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Death, Sexism, Self harm, Miscarriage, Incest, Child death, Child abuse, Addiction, Violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Racism, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Medical content, Rape, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Classism, Animal cruelty, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Animal death, and Abortion