Reviews tagging 'Rape'

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

12 reviews

cameronaverwhy's review against another edition

adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I can absolutely see why this book is a classic of the horror-sci-fi genre. Short and sweet, for me it was a brilliant balance between action and observation. A main criticism of mine that I have is simply the protagonist’s comments about women and sex felt unnecessary, but I suppose he’s meant to be a flawed character, so won’t always behave in a way that I would agree with. Overall, a brilliant novella.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Rape

authorannafaundez's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

3.0

Weird book. Interesting ending.

Sometimes the book was sexual in a creepy, very uncomfortable way. The MC thinks about/considers sexual assault way too many times. The book treats sex as if it's entirely necessary for human male survival and that an adult has difficulty controlling himself, which . . . 1954 writing, I guess. It's not a good look. Didn't age well.

The science aspect is super far-fetched, which is sometimes OK. Suspension of belief is necessary for sci-fi and fantasy. But how fast Neville learns the science terminology is unbelievable with how specific the book gets. And that extreme specificity is where the problem is. Knowing words and general info is one thing, but true comprehension, study and experimentation is another. Either more mistakes needed to be made or more uncertainty about his theories would help that, I think. A simple time skip with a basic overview of what happened would have also been beneficial.

And then, when there finally was a time skip, it glossed over every single advancement/mistake/learning opportunity and ran straight for the plot, abandoning character growth.

Side note: I hope the movie I Am Legend (2007) said it was "inspired by" and not "based on" the 1954 novel. Because this book and that movie are different at their cores and by plotline.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Murder

Minor: Gun violence, Rape, Animal death, and Child death

levanthium's review

dark reflective 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? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Child death and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual assault and Rape

refrejarator's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

2.0

The science still holds up at some points which is pretty cool. Interesting take on vampires, but uncomfortably dated (views of the 50s in regards to women and POCs).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Blood

Moderate: Grief, Violence, Cannibalism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, Child death, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Vomit, Animal death, Gun violence, and Medical content

POCs referred to as 'Negroes' and not named, only occurs in one chapter. Followers of Islam are referred to as Mohammedans. Jews and Judaism are also mentioned, but no derogatory comments made. Main character is tempted to SA/rape women, including comatose/sleeping/undead women. This is mentioned several times.

bearystarry's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

I didn't realize this was half I Am Legend and half short stories when I bought it. I Am Legend was way too bleak for me. Some of the short stories had really interesting premises but weak execution, or I would have liked to be expanded. My favourite part of the whole book was The Funeral;

just a fun little monster story!

I thought it was cute, tbh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Genocide, Animal death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Blood, Terminal illness, Sexism, Racism, Addiction, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Violence, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Antisemitism, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Torture, and Car accident

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Suicide attempt, and Fatphobia

sassmistress's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-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

4.25

Very much not my usual speed, but I see why it's genre-defining. It must be a *really* early take on zombie apocalypse literature. It's a solid mix of psychological horror and zombie thriller, with a dash of that classic sci-fi introspection. Extremely gripping, at points, like The Walking Dead (sorry to relate it to something newer!) Choc-full of content concerns, though, so I can't rate it any higher. But I really enjoyed the read and want one for my classics shelf. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Violence, Gun violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Cursing, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Animal death, and Confinement

Minor: Death of parent, Child death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, and Self harm

- Very graphic depiction of alcoholism and heavy alcohol use, from the mind of the user. We're constantly watching strong drinks spill, smell, burn going down, numb emotion, etc.
- POV is regularly on the verge of a mental breakdown.
- Memories of his wife wasting away and dying, then having to dispose of her body. The grief is graphic. His child dies, too, though this is less prominent.
- Dog content:

He feeds the feral/traumatized dog and slowly befriends it. During this process, the dog is infected. He brings the dog inside, hoping to cure it before it passes, and it panics extensively. He calms it down, the dog licks him, he cries, and then says the dog died a week later.

- He is an atheist, but prays twice out of desperation. Religion is otherwise depicted as frenzied madness.
- Lots of lustful gaze and objectification. This is viewed as the inevitable result of a man's "deprivation" / isolation. One passionate embrace/kiss.
- Blood, obviously, and some violent "vampire" deaths, but most of it is kept at a moderate emotional distance. Most deaths are the MC bleeding out the sleeping "vampires", not described too graphically, but a few are more violent.
- Brief mention of rape, and a few suicidal thoughts.

paralanguage's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

Minor: Rape

singalana's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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

3.0

Elokuvaversiosta poiketen tässä post apokalyptisessä novellissa zombien sijasta temmeltävätkin vampyyrit. Robert Neville on maailman viimeinen ihminen - kaikki muut ovat jo ajat sitten muuttuneet vertaimeviksi hirviöiksi. Päivisin Neville etsii ja tappaa vampyyrejä, täydentää varastojaan ja vahvistaa puolustuksiaan. Öisin häntä piinaavat ulkona odottelevat vampyyrit. 

Robert Neville kipuilee yksinäisyytensä kanssa, juo liikaa ja vihansa vimmassa käyttäytyy aggressiivisesti. Ymmärrettävästi hän ei juuri nyt ole ihan parhaimmillaan. Kirjan alussa hänen suurin ongelmansa tuntuu olevan seksin puute, mikä nykylukijalla saattaa nostattaa hieman kulmakarvoja. Tätä lukuunottamatta kirja on kestänyt suhteellisen hyvin aikaa. 

Lopussa kirjassa on hyvin toteutettu kohtaus, jossa Neville todistaa verivihollisensa kohtaloa. Loppuratkaisu onnistuu ehkä hieman yllättävälläkin tavalla kääntämään kirjan asetelmaa. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Alcohol, Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Animal death, Addiction, and Violence

Minor: Violence, Sexism, Rape, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

scytheria's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism and Gun violence

Minor: Suicide, Animal death, and Rape

winterpirate's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and War