Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Nuestra parte de noche by Mariana Enríquez

14 reviews

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

ka_cam's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

A gripping horror read- fast because I didn’t want to put it down. Also, very dark. The setting and descriptions of time, place, energy and ethos of various setting was very well done, especially for translation. I appreciated how I really got a feel for how ‘normal’ the very traditionally abnormal (hyper-wealthy multigenerational death cult and spirits/spirit worlds) world was for various characters, and their distinct experiences of it as medium, clairvoyant child of medium, elder, child, follower, other etc added to the sense of reality. Went a bit on/could have been a bit shorter but a compelling read. Check the content warnings tho, not for the faint of heart!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Drug use, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence

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?

writingcaia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Still, not sure about the rating, the ending was kind of anticlimactic and I expected a nicer bow tying it all.
Review to come!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Torture, Death of parent, Violence, Child death, Death, Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Classism, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Homophobia, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Murder

Minor: Slavery, Rape, Cannibalism, Excrement, Racism, Sexual assault, and Miscarriage

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0

This one had some good moments or scenes where the hairs on the back of my neck were triggered, but ultimately, it was too sprawling in PoVs and timelines for me to really sink into it. The book felt more like it covered these lives in breadth but not depth and that's never my preference. I did like how there were historical events and people interwoven in the book, that was well-done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Blood, Chronic illness, Gore, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Gaslighting, Homophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

Minor: Car accident

balamaqab's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Murder, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Racism, Mental illness, Medical content, Drug use, Violence, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Alcoholism

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.

confusedwhale's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Death of parent, Blood, Child death, Death, Medical content, Body horror, Grief, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Classism, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Racism, Drug use, and Vomit

Minor: Rape, Infidelity, and Pregnancy

yuyine's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

3.0

Notre part de nuit est un roman horrifique particulièrement oppressant et dérangeant qui nous plonge au cœur d’atrocités où les monstres sont bien humains mais où le fantastique s’invite comme une ombre supplémentaire. Vaste fresque historique et sociale par sa densité et son alternance d’époques et de points de vue, c’est un roman riche. Malheureusement, de vastes longueurs et une intrigue qui manque de rythme auront eu raison de mon plaisir de lecture et me laissent sur un sentiment en demi-teinte. C’est un bon roman, mais je ne rejoins pas les éloges dithyrambiques à son sujet.

Critique complète sur yuyine.be!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Violence, Body horror, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Rape, Death, Racism, Trafficking, Blood, Pedophilia, Classism, Drug use, Alcoholism, Grief, Terminal illness, and Slavery