Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Nefando by Mónica Ojeda

15 reviews

zoesauve's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

1.0

I loved Ojeda’s book Jawbone, which was also really disturbing and dark. But this one… this one was so nasty it made me feel physically ill to read. 
I think Ojeda and the translator, Sarah Booker are both really talented at the craft, but I really wonder about what the point of bringing this stuff into the world is. 
I truly don’t see the value in dredging up this deeply disgusting stuff with no redemption. I feel sick from reading it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Animal cruelty

readingwithgoose's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Animal death, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Confinement, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Blood

Moderate: Excrement and Mental illness

mariana_ab's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Child abuse

moss_martii's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Gore, and Child abuse

danidamico's review against another edition

1.0

No me gustó para nada. El terror que está hecho solo para shockear me parece aburrido, flojo e innecesario. En ningún momento sentí que hubiera una verdadera historia, algún tipo de profundidad o contenido más allá del horror en sí, de las ganas de repugnar al lector. Si vas a escribir sobre pedofilia más vale que esté justificado, que sea totalmente indispensable para el relato, como sucede por ejemplo en The Bluest Eye de Toni Morrison. Ojeda utiliza la pedofilia solamente para escandalizar, describiendo todo de manera tan asquerosamente gráfica que casi parece volverse una apología o un material pornográfico.

Las historias que se entrecruzan a lo largo de la novela nunca llegan a nada, nunca culminan ni se complementan, simplemente asistimos a una seguidilla interminable de violaciones, agresiones y abusos sexuales, escenas super detalladas de pedofilia, abuso intrafamiliar, automutilaciones, fantasías sexuales repugnantes. Y lo peor es que no sirven para nada, no generan ningún sentido de totalidad al terminar la novela, ni siquiera es como "El niño proletario" de Osvaldo Lamborghini: un cuento horroroso que sí tiene un propósito, una eficacia, una razón de ser.

Si hubiera sabido lo innecesariamente explícito que es el libro nunca lo hubiera escogido y si no fuera para el club de lectura definitivamente lo hubiera dejado sin terminar.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence