Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

24 reviews

lily_sutton's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide

liurhonda's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

Solid average read. 

Pros: the set up of the novel and pacing allows for a page turner mystery/thriller. Has some good plot twists, and I liked the range of characters included. 

Cons: It's ironic how the main messaging (or what it attempts to message) of this book is that female victims are only remembered or highlighted by male perpetrators, while doing so the whole book by he vily centering Ansel/the male perp. We stay in his perspective a lot and the female characters are all quite enamored with him or heavily impacted by him. It makes sense logically but doesn't work with this type of messaging that only comes in at the end, very explicitly. Lots of tell and not show. 

Also peppered in the end is a weak, again explicit, critique of the injustice in the prison industrial complex in America. While true, doesn't do anything new, nor does it contribute to the overall messaging of the book. Comes across a bit sloppy and not very impactful. Uses abstract flowery language to describe emotions, atmospheres, etc. too much for my taste. Characters also felt a bit hollow. 

(A bit of a spoiler: I also wonder if how Ansel heard voices and how he 'pretends' much of his life alludes to any mental illness? Maybe I missed some implications, but would have loved to see this theme explored a bit more. Or at least this thread wrapped up)

TLDR; Ultimately the messaging/themes of this book where sloppy (some where very ambiguous which I did not like but that's a personal preference) but serves as a good spooky mystery page turner. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Addiction, Stalking, Suicide, Abandonment, Child death, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Pregnancy

vanessa_black_03's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

This book will make you think and think. It should be read by everybody who has ever thought about the person behind the unmistakable cloud of death by a killer. 
Shows us how circumstances lend to our making but justifying anything you do with it and not acknoledging a problem within you is all that makes the difference

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Child abuse, Gore, Suicide, Medical content, Murder, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Animal death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Blood and Stalking

Minor: Car accident

emmehooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Murder, Death, and Misogyny

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and Grief

Minor: Animal cruelty, Stalking, and Suicide

lapuce1006's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, Addiction, Stalking, Blood, Violence, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Body horror, Death, Abandonment, Grief, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse

Minor: Cancer and Suicide

lyshbish's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

This book is not your typical crime novel. There aren't any shocking twists or big breakthroughs. It's just sort of... sad. Oh, the tangled webs we weave... only some webs are more tangled than others. Every character in this book has suffered at the hands of another, and caused suffering for another in turn. Obviously, some crimes are worse than others (like... murder, lol) but I couldn't help but wonder if A didn't happen would B have happened, and so on.  I think anyone who liked "Disappearing Earth" will really enjoy this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, and Pregnancy

Minor: Blood, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death of parent, Addiction, Drug use, and Suicide

thatsssorachael's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Animal cruelty, Death, Rape, Animal death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Child death

Minor: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

agnela's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Medical content, Violence, Death, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Murder, Sexual content, Alcohol, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Blood, and Grief

courtney_scott1025's review

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.75

I loved this book. I tried to listen to the audiobook and it just wasn't for me. I gave it a second chance after two people on tiktok said it was their best read of 2023. I read this quick and was immersed in the storytelling. I loved how the three narrators converged. I loved that the three female narrators did not have direct connection with Ansel, but had known him briefly in the past in some way. The reason I did not give this five starts is because the fleeting way in which the author touches serious subjects within the american prison industrial complex and policing in america. I don't think she should get props for simply just mentioning these issues... For example, Saff mentions this dilemma with a majority of the prison population being black and brown men. Ansel mentions that it is unfair that it is mostly black and brown men on death row with him. But that is as far as it goes. I do not think it should be praised at some great look at the prison industrial complex in America because it just isn't. I think it is better to be seen as the way in which true crime culture forgets those that live with the impact of these celebrated monsters choices. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, and Abandonment

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Stalking

lau_leo's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Animal death, Abandonment, Death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Stalking, Suicide, and Toxic relationship