Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

35 reviews

wyrmes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Classism, Death, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Torture, Terminal illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Infertility and Vomit

vespasiana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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 violence, Medical content, Death, Grief, Medical trauma, Body horror, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Torture, Confinement, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, and Rape

Minor: Trafficking and Child death

While all the above things do happen in the book, both on and off screen, the bulk of the plot is about the “before” and “after”. Very little of the extreme or moderate stuff is shown for long, but is referenced very frequently in the “after” sections as something the main character is dealing from the fallout of.

nouveau's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, and Trafficking

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Pregnancy

ladymickbeth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Child death, Medical content, and Violence

Minor: Vomit

This is a beautifully written book with a unique and engaging narrative voice and characters that are flawed, but likeable or understandable. I would have given this a higher rating, but there are a number of micro aggressions (primarily against Emilio, who is Latino) and problematic comments.

msagerber's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Grief, Torture, and Rape

willjindering's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Torture

cocacolor's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I can't tell whether this book both falls into a well-known sci-fi trap of evil alien species and is incredibly hostile toward

victims of sexual violence

or one of the most deeply empathetic novels I've ever read, so I knocked off half a star. This is absolutely not going to be for everyone. Whether this book becomes an all-time favorite is going to depend on whether you're willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt and assume compassion.

ETA. Its sequel, CHILDREN OF GOD, makes clearer the author & narrative's ethical positions and I believe this book is coming from a place of compassion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Slavery, Medical content, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Cannibalism, War, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Child death, and Self harm

Minor: Pregnancy

conqueringsquid's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Cannibalism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Rape, Blood, Chronic illness, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

crlpedigo's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, and Child death

bogbody05's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Slavery, and Rape