Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas

7 reviews

kat1105's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Child death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Vomit, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Self harm, Slavery, Terminal illness, Classism, Confinement, Violence, Injury/injury detail, and Suicide

lizziaha's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

In a book that is so dark for the majority of its (very numerous) pages, I found the ending to be incredibly hopeful and joyous. Although the romantic in me hoped

Spoiler

that Dantes and Mercedes would end up together

. Surprisingly, I found very little of this book to be superfluous; indeed, it was very satisfying to watch the Count weave his complicated web of revenge. I found myself rooting for unlikely heroes, and marveling at the tangled mess where these characters lives had intertwined. I was also utterly surprised and delighted to see two queer characters who find a happy end in this book! Altogether worth the read, even though it was a long time coming for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Grief, Classism, Murder, Death, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexism, Confinement, Gun violence, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Torture, War, Homophobia, Ableism, Racial slurs, Racism, and Infidelity

sigynmoon's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Slavery

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

The protagonist keeps a slave who is often referred to with racist terms. The protagonist is written like a hero, so the fact he has a slave (who he dehumanizes) is very uncomfortable. There is also quite a lot of orientalism. As for the sexual assault,

Spoiler

there is a story told where a woman is taken by bandits and raped. She is also then killed by her lover, which the book portrays as a mercy killing. This is very upsetting. There is also an attempted abduction with intentions to rape after, although the girl is saved.

Torture is a theme in the book at times although I cannot remember if it ever gets graphic (I am fairly certain it doesn't.), the book is quite misogynistic in nature on how the female characters are treated

Spoiler

(such as one being portrayed as unfaithful for marrying a man after her lover was imprisoned for years and she literally thought he was dead.)

Suicide is a theme throughout the book including suicidal thoughts and various attempts. There are characters who also do go through with it.

reneebkreviews's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Infidelity, Death, Suicide attempt, Slavery, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Sexism and Torture

ferretgazette's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement

Moderate: Death, Murder, Suicide, and Torture

Minor: Slavery

alismcg's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense 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

5.0

One of my 5 Faves ❤️ of all time, planning a reread in 2021 using a revision of the original translation , Everyman's Library ed. My original read: the Unabridged Penguin Robin Buss translation.

" 'Without reflecting that this is the only moment in which you can study character, ' said the count. 'On the steps of the scaffold death tears off the mask that has been worn through life, and the real face is disclosed.' "

"I know the world is a drawing-room from which we must retreat politely and honestly ; that is with a bow, and all debts of honour paid."
...............................
📍There's an especially graphic description of an execution by macing that some more sensitive readers may find upsetting.📍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Torture

heini's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

Yli tuhatsivuinen teos, mutta erittäin nopealukuinen: lyhyet luvut ja mielenkiintoinen juoni tekivät tästä täydellisen kesälukemisen! 

Tarina kertoo Monte Criston kreivistä, joka kostaakseen kohtalonsa pitää itseään Jumalan lähettämänä sallimuksena juoniessaan vihollistensa tuhon. 
1800-luvun alkupuolen Ranska ja Italia seurapiireineen on viihdyttävää lukemista. 

Aikansa tuotos, niin hyvässä kuin pahassa. 

Ah, teatraalinen, goottilainen, suosikkini! Ihmisyyden pahuus - ja hyvän pilkahdukset. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation and Confinement

Moderate: Grief and Death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Slavery, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Misogyny, Miscarriage, and Drug use