Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Nuestra parte de noche by Mariana Enríquez

163 reviews

hexedmaiden's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.5

When I realized this book was over 500 pages I felt my eyes pop out of my head like a god damn cartoon. But now that I've finished it I feel like the ink used to print this book was absolutely worth it. The layers and complexities to this story was so compelling that I couldn't put it down. I definitely need a long nap & a cute puppy compilation video after this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Body horror, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent and Homophobia

zhi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

5.0

Absolutely terrifying - had to fight back the urge to read this before bed but could not stop myself from turning the pages… 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gore, Drug use, Blood, and Body horror

lareinadehades's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Death, Classism, Child abuse, Body horror, and Genocide

oroseo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

incredible. the way each section of the book can stand alone but also informs the reader's understanding of the others. the way

that the darkness parallels the horrors of the time. the way the darkness cannot let any of them go, once in its sight. the way that its claws mark a person deapite a lifetime of evasion.

the author writes with clearness, i found myself flinching as i read.

and there are such beautiful quotes. when you finally get to the part where a character says the title. when you reckon with how horribly disposable every body is. the ways that love is twisted and deployed, the ways love is manipulated and disparaged.

there is a slower section in this novel, one that feels odd but reveals itself as necessary later in the novel. it took me a while to get through that section, but i would recommend actively trying to connect some of the more mysterious things happening to what you've already learned.

i think also, there's plot reasons for this. for the reader to stumble around in this unknowlable universe like Gaspar is. For Juan to finally be protected from our knowling, now that he has closed himself off from the Order

also. AIDS? the horror of aids!!! didn't even expect that. do we call this genre historical horror? 

I am slightly convinced that Rosario's section was written from where she lives in the Darkness. Also, i guess more obviously, that Gaspar has fallen into the same madness fortold by everyone in the Order, because he can't let go of the deaths. the darkness uses Adela to hold him hostage, or something to that affect.

I think one thing i wish i understood more, one thing that maybe a lot of non-Argentine readers of the book might need, is a tad more context on the colonial/racial history of Argentina. anti-indigeneity comes across very clear, and not unexpected, but i guess i just need to read more about who colonized and when. shockingly, lack of Argentine political knowledge does not hold one back, despite the time of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Suicide, Body horror, Murder, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Violence, Racism, Vomit, Rape, and Police brutality

It is a dark book about a physically ill man being used by a cult, who abused many, many others. Would not recommend reading if you cannot handle graphic descriptions.

eelizard's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, War, Torture, Child abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Medical content, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Slavery

kneecole's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, Child abuse, Violence, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Homophobia, Classism, Car accident, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Medical trauma, War, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Car accident, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death

Death of a pet dog is “off screen”

isaospina's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Una noche dormí después de leer este libro, soñé con La Oscuridad, con La Orden, con los sacrificios. 
Hacía años no soñaba con lo que estaba leyendo, pero no me sorprende que pasara con Nuestra parte de noche. 

Con un principio lento, tan lento que por un momento dudé sobre si podría terminarlo. Pero apenas terminó la primera parte de la historia de Juan y Gaspar todo se volvió claro: no iba a poder dejar de leer este libro. Es uno de esos libros que de tanto tenerlo contigo, llevarlo a todos lados, leerlo en cada momento posible le tomas afecto al objeto físico como muestra del afecto a la historia. 

Mariana Enriquez cuece a fuego lento una historia de misterio, oscuridad, tensión política y magia, donde el horror no es el horror de las películas que requieren un susto momentaneo, es un horror que hace que se te erice la piel, se te haga un nudo en la garganta, y sientas en la planta de los pies el temor y la tensión que sientes cuando tienes miedo físico. Es como ser niña otra vez y tener que atravesar una casa en la oscuridad, tarde en la noche, esa inseguridad, ese temor latente pero presente se siente leyendo las escenas más tensionantes de Nuestra Parte de Noche. 

Los personajes, todos, tienen sus imperfecciones, desde Juan con su forma bestial de tratar a los que lo rodean, hasta Gaspar, con sus iras heredadas de su padre. Vemos a niños crecer en la sombra que queda después de la dictadura de los 70s en Argentina, la epidemia de sida en los 80s, y todas las crisis económicas y políticas del país afectan a los personajes. Eventos reales, como el robo de las manos del cuerpo de Perón, la erupción del volcán y destrucción de Armero en Colombia, el mundial del 86, todos eventos reales, como la dictadura (los militantes y partidos si tienen nombres diferentes) entrelazados en un mundo de magia oscura, en una organización secreta cruel y violenta hace que el miedo sea más real porque estamos, al fin y al cabo en el mundo real. 

Los saltos cronológicos no llegan a ser confusos, de hecho, son un gran método para contar y aclarar la historia de Juan y sus acciones con Gaspar. Enriquez no deja nada al azar y al final casi todos los cabos quedan atados, igual que el colgado, arcano mayor del tarot. La escritura es fluida y la prosa, en español, casi preciosa, especialmente cuando describe lugares como Misiones o casas cambiantes. 

Dejo este libro con un deseo loco de conocer Misiones, Corrientes, Buenos Aires, La Plata y Choscamús y con un espacio en mi corazón para personajes como Gaspar, Vicky, Adela, Pablo e incluso Stephen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Homophobia, Violence, Child abuse, Rape, and Blood

alexfrankfiction's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

annagerman's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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? No

3.5

I wanted to like this book more than I did in the end. 

The writing is masterful, the atmosphere is creepy and deliciously dark, and I liked the characters a lot. 
The violence and gore was so well executed, it was disturbing and shocking but sparse and exact, never gratuitous.
I enjoyed the elements of folklore and the sense of time and place - I really love it when a book feels rooted in a specific culture and location. 
I loved Rosario's POV, it almost worked as a short novela on its own.

But the pacing is awful, especially in the last 30%. The ending was incredibly underwhelming and rushed.

There were so many unexplained events and unanswered questions in the end - some of it was intentional, I understand that and I can even appreciate it, but some plot points felt convoluted, unnecessary or completely abandoned

the biggest one that I can't let go of us the fact that there was no reference to where Rosario's soul was, I though Juan was dedicating all his time in the empty house to finding it out, but it wasn't revisited in the book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, and Death of parent

jublian's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Medical content, and Chronic illness