Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

151 reviews

taroroot's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

i found the writing to be interesting and compelling however i hated Esteban Trueba's character so much

that i was delighted when he finally died in the epilogue.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Death of parent

whitelotusreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

It’s dark and gut-punching; the descriptions of violence and assault are pretty graphic but it’s not without purpose and is a crucial aspect of the overarching theme. The characters are all well-rounded and wonderfully developed. The narrative flows well and the prose arrestingly beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

smashley_rr's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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

3.25

I have been wanting to read this book for SO long, but this one just was not for me. Allende is a gorgeous writer, the repeated themes throughout connected so well and the prose itself was beautiful, I just was not as invested in the story as I had hoped to be. There were times where it was okay and I enjoyed those small sections, but others I almost stopped reading. In the future I would like to try some other books by her, and hopefully I will find a story in one of those to match the beauty of her writing!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

grereads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Police brutality, Grief, and Car accident

rubl_b's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

lighthearted 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? Yes

3.5

Agh, such wonderful writing, I just didn't connect to the story or characters much. Can't wait to read more from this author!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Excrement, Car accident, Abortion, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Drug use and Pregnancy

gracews_library's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

theskyboi's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

What can my review possibly add to a book that is celebrating its 40th anniversary? The House of the Spirits fits snugly into the moniker of "debut novel," given the old adage to "write what you know." As a patchwork history of Chile in the 20th century, as well as a saga of the purportedly fictional Trueba family's women, this book weaves magical realism and historical fiction into an unforgettable read that any author would feel lucky to consider their first foray into fiction.

Having read the novel in Spanish, I feel both blessed and cursed to have had access to the original text; I was enchanted and haunted in equal measure. While the book deals largely in political and historical themes, the legacies of the women within the Trueba family are at the crux of the story. From Clara's clairvoyance to Blanca's indecision and to Alba's tenacity, this book illustrates the power that comes with sharing the stories that are most personal to us.

Often taking a circuitous path between past and present, the prose of this novel is what enchants the reader most of all. From the moment that Clara has her first premonition until the narrator utters that final phrase, reading this book is a challenge rewarded with mischief, absurdity, solemnity, and satisfaction. However, that flowery language Allende seems predisposed to include in her story did result in a rather slow-paced read, so consider yourself warned.

In light of warnings, the content of this novel, while fictionalized, does align with the true struggles of the life of 20th-century Chileans. The violence perpetuated across lines of gender, class, and race is far too prevalent in this book for me not to warn any potential readers. While typically dealt with in ways that I find historically accurate to the spirit of many lived experiences, I do note the very graphic nature of this novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and War

seawarrior's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

4.0

While I felt that this book was difficult to initially get invested in since the plot didn't have a clear direction, and the narrator was unknown, once I fell into the story I was able to appreciate how lyrical and magical the writing is, even when describing horrific events. At its roots, this is a story about how a single patriarch destroys an entire country. Yet it blooms a story of family triumph and tragedy, of love that endures destruction, and how acts of violence are never restrained to a single point in time. It's a modern epic that is as rewarding to read as it is distressing. Although reading it does require a level of acceptance that this family is steeped in racism, misogyny and the violence inherent to massive wealth, I did think the book has worth. I would recommend it to those that can withstand reading about the subject matter, namely, the egregious sexual, physical, and political violence the leading character commits over his seemingly never-ending lifetime.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and War

tangerinetea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Suicide attempt