Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever

27 reviews

birdieex's review

adventurous dark emotional tense 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

3.5

Mixed feelings on this book. I feel like this is going to be is difficult for me to rate. On one hand, I think I lacked the media literacy skills to understand a fair bit of the writing style, and ended up having to reread paragraphs. On the other hand, I can acknowledge it's a layered, psychologically complex story of obsession and violence.
 
I can see what the author was going for with the writing; something complicated and tangled and messy. However, there were many scenes I couldn't comprehend what was going on. I couldn't piece together where scenes started and ended or who was speaking when. I thought the

unreliable narrator

was done well. The ending threw me for a loop, honestly. That callback was so good.
 
There were a lot of times where characters knew something (or thought they knew something) I didn't and it was hard for me to connect to anyone. If the intention was to make us read between the lines, I had trouble doing that; and again this could come down to my own media illiteracy. I can't grasp the motive behind the killing. It was a thrill killing, but why? Why did they suddenly decide to do this?

I couldn't figure out if they even liked each other during some parts, which I get is the point. It's toxic and codependent, but I still found myself thinking "why the hell are you even together?" because I couldn't see anything that really brought them together.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Death, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Car accident, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Cursing, Police brutality, and Self harm

Minor: Animal death

The sexual assault is a brief detail; however it is described and could be triggering. Details under the spoiler.

Julian explains that his prep school roommate would climb on top of him (fully clothed) when he thought he was asleep. Julian said he allowed it because "he was a little good-looking and I felt sorry that he didn't have any other friends.

patriciapueyolopez's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Violence, Emotional abuse, Death, Suicide, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Gore

Moderate: Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Classism

Minor: Stalking, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, and Classism

chuckyinspace's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Death, Suicide, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Car accident, and Chronic illness

Minor: Antisemitism and Homophobia

kitrook's review against another edition

dark mysterious

5.0

i don’t even know what to say after this. it make me feel like I was guilty and a witness to the murder who should turn themself into the police

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual assault and Gun violence

jiangslore's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.5

[4,5/5]

“These Violent Delights”, assim como a obra clássica que inspirou seu título, é uma história sobre dois jovens que desenvolvem sentimentos profundos (até demais) um pelo outro. E, também como o clássico que o inspira (na minha opinião, até mais que ele), é um livro que, no final das contas, pode até falar do sentimento “amor”, mas talvez não possa ser considerado uma “história de amor”. Na verdade, se você for o tipo de pessoa que vê um romance que envolve pelo menos uma pessoa de caráter questionável e pensa “isso seria bem melhor se fosse um suspense”, é possível que esse livro seja para você.

Alguns aspectos do livro me agradaram muito, mas eu diria que o mais impressionante foi a escrita, principalmente porque “These Violent Delights” é um livro de estreia. O autor conseguiu criar um equilíbrio, na minha opinião, quase perfeito entre o que é dito explicitamente e o que não é — e acho que isso que pode ser atribuído tanto ao talento quanto ao esforço do escritor, principalmente considerando o tempo que o livro demorou para ser escrito.

No livro, o que era dito de forma explícita o era por meio de uma escrita muito interessante e sutil; e a escolha do que permanece “subentendido” (não sei se essa é a palavra mais adequada, mas enfim) foi fundamental para criar uma sensação de quietude, isolamento e angústia que reproduz muito bem o que os protagonistas estavam enfrentando em suas vidas. Acho que essa “quietude” também é reproduzida no estilo de tensão e no ritmo do enredo do livro — o que, para mim, trouxe aspectos positivos e negativos.

“These Violent Delights” não é o tipo de “thriller” em que a tensão é causada pela ação ou pelos perigos enfrentados pelos personagens; nem o tipo de “mistério” cuja tensão é resultado da ocultação de questões necessárias para descobrir qual será a conclusão da obra. Como o livro traz uma perspectiva diferente — aquela das pessoas que causaram o ato de violência inenarrável, segundo a sinopse —, a tensão resulta da relação que se desenvolve entre os protagonistas e o modo que eles, lentamente, testam os limites um do outro e se adaptam ao que encontram com esses testes.

Então, é claro, o livro é lento. E não é como se algo estivesse escondido do leitor: desde o primeiro movimento do jogo, o final dele já estava determinado. Isso pode, sim, fazer com que a leitura fique arrastada. Mesmo gostando do livro, eu tive a sensação de que, em alguns momentos, simplesmente não queria lê-lo porque parecia que nada “caminhava” de modo significativo.

Mas, na minha opinião, a tensão nos capítulos finais fez a lentidão valer à pena. Quando eu estava finalizando a leitura, realmente senti tudo que eu precisava sentir para olhar para “These Violent Delights” e entender que o livro realmente entrega o que promete em termos de suspense.

Por isso, eu recomendo muito a leitura. Não acho que é um livro que vai agradar a todos, mas acho que o autor fez bem o que se propôs a fazer (e, se tivermos cuidado, conseguimos ver o que ele se propôs a fazer desde o início da obra). 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Death

m4rtt4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Brilliant, this was so unlike anything I've read before and kept me on edge the whole time. Took off 0.5 stars for the sluggish pace but overall the codependency was very well written, and though I could see many similarities with The Secret History, I'm a hoe for stories like this and it's ALWAYS a good thing to start the book with a crime even though the rest of the book is mostly just vibes and no plot.

It also took me a while to get used to the audiobook narrator, but once I was hooked, you couldn't have convinced me it wasn't Paul himself talking to me. I definitely do recommend the audiobook experience, as this book is mostly vibes and fits so well in the darkening autumn atmosphere!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Suicide, Homophobia, Death of parent, Murder, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Grief, Alcohol, Sexual content, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

ashlikes's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Grief, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Antisemitism, Sexual content, Suicide, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape, Bullying, Sexual violence, Animal death, Sexism, Vomit, and War

oddgreyhound's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

this book.. holy shit i have so many thoughts about it.. i want to yell at someone about it, rather than simply write stuff down in a review.. i want to debate it, i want to talk about how i manage to see myself in these boys who plan to and actually murder someone.. 

Micah writes masterfully, and the story kept taking twists and turns that i in no way expected.. I loved the ending, though at the same time, i would’ve loved to have had the second to last chapter from Julians perspective, at least the part.. well, if you’ve read the book you know what part… 

My brain is whirring with things, and holy shit it’s not great at it lol 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Sexual content and Homophobia

cldurand's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Homophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

addyruth17's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

Slowly enthralling, creeping like ivy growing up a brick wall. Many character moments and traits in the beginning that I felt saw right through me, which is scary by the end. Nemerever paints so well with words--I love the color scheme and I enjoy how uncomfortably visceral the senses were. There's a lot of build-up, so the pay-off is a bit disappointing to me; maybe one could argue that's part of the genius, leaving the reader suspended.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Cursing, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness