Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

Nuestra parte de noche by Mariana Enríquez

15 reviews

camscampbell's review against another edition

dark fast-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

4.0

This dark horror novel is set in Argentina and spans the period from 1960 to 1997. It follows the lives of Gaspar, the main character, and his family as Gaspar comes of age. His father, Juan, will stop at nothing to protect him from the evil clutches of his wife's family, who want to take advantage of Juan and Gaspar's talents of accessing the Darkness to become immortal. 

I read the English translation (by Megan McDowell) and thoroughly enjoyed it. The structure moves around, and I never found myself annoyed by the time shifts back and forth. 

It has some troubling scenes of violence, particularly of child abuse.

The scenes of the children in cages in the dark tunnel under Puerto Reyes were horrific.

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If you enjoyed Stephen King's It, you'll probably enjoy this. The part set in Buenos Aires in 1985–1986, in particular, reminded me of the Losers Club from that novel. Fans of Clive Barker would probably enjoy it, too. I felt some vibes of The Great and Secret Show in this in how dark it was.

My YouTube review of this book is here: https://youtu.be/M2GgCPpWEpA

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Medical trauma, Torture, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Confinement, Body horror, and Bullying

Moderate: Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Abandonment, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, and Classism

arayo's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, Child abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Gaslighting, Blood, Chronic illness, Gore, Child death, Grief, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Death, and Body horror

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Biphobia, Alcohol, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Vomit, Cannibalism, Genocide, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Infidelity, Drug use, Rape, Infertility, Police brutality, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

vbarsi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.25

I really wanted to love this book. Parts of it were so beautifully (terrifyingly) written - I will think about some parts of this book always for their creep factor.  I wish I felt like more of those parts happen though. I found there were many parts of the book that were too slow and included information I found unnecessary (or maybe boring). The narrator perspective change was a nice touch - I think it helped re-engage me when I found a section of the book had gone on too long. It also really added depth to the story. I think its worth giving a shot if you’re into horror, but wasn’t my favorite 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Child death, Body horror, Violence, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Abandonment, Kidnapping, Murder, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Minor: Eating disorder, Pregnancy, and Suicide

Ending was not as satisfying as I imagined.

danikajoan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This blew me away. I didn’t want it to end, loved the writing/translation (was already a fan of Enriquez from Things We Lost in the Fire), felt fully invested in the lore and so compelled by the characters. Really intense, a little eerie, sad, romantic, and funny. 

and I am ALWAYS on board for a “house is bigger on the inside than the outside” House of Leaves vibe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Drug use, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Death, Medical content, Violence, Suicide attempt, Torture, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Colonisation, Chronic illness, Murder, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Rape, Vomit, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Blood, Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Racism, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Gore, Classism, Body horror, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, and Genocide

Alllllll the trigger warnings for this one, very intense but not in a way that feels like it’s there just for shock value or is exploitative?

bluebirdegf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, War, and Torture

Moderate: Gore, Death, Slavery, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, and Confinement

Minor: Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Medical content, and Grief

mirissab's review against another edition

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

5.0

Please give me more fiction with history, occultism, and queerness. I struggled reading this--a balance between binging and lingering on each chapter, each page. I still have questions but maybe they are never meant to have an answer. It was beautiful, haunting, and layered. Selfishly, I want more from this world, this undeniably tragic yet enchanted universe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, War, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Medical content, Alcoholism, Classism, Colonisation, Gore, Violence, and Body horror

Moderate: Homophobia, Addiction, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Bullying, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Drug use, and Medical content

blacksphinx's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Drug use, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Gore, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Vomit, Child abuse, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Sexual content

Moderate: Homophobia, Classism, Confinement, Blood, Alcoholism, Body horror, Sexism, and Car accident

Minor: Slavery, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Mass/school shootings, Self harm, Racism, Police brutality, and Miscarriage

CSA does not occur on page but happens to a side character. On top of at least one anti-indigenous slur, this book also contains ableist slurs and a LOT of homophobic slurs. Part of the book takes place during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the book spends some time showing it.

befnie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Blood, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Chronic illness, Rape, Suicide, Terminal illness, Body horror, Death of parent, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Police brutality, Gore, Grief, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, and War

Moderate: Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Cancer, Car accident, and Slavery

Minor: Misogyny and Cannibalism

rhadden'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

5.0

 One of the most exciting and interesting books I've ever read.  Taking place throughout the 20th century, primarily in Argentina, this massive horror epic tells the story of a family torn apart by a demon-summoning cult. Steeped in true Argetinian history and cultural trauma; dictatorships, natural disasters, the AIDS crisis, workers rights activism, class struggles, etc. etc. this is a brutal and enthralling family saga of inherited trauma that has infected my thoughts and has not let go. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Death of parent, Blood, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Body horror, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Child death, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Grief, Car accident, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Child abuse

beu_94's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Medical content, and Medical trauma