Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval

23 reviews

tabithaecw's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Body horror, Dysphoria, Confinement, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Blood, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Vomit

byrdies's review

dark reflective fast-paced

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

2.5

The author undoubtably has a piss kink. No plot, just vibes. And an inordinate amount of piss

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cannibalism

eckit6776's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

weird! this book is so weird, and i found it wonderful. full of piss and mold and queer confusion. if you’re looking for a book with a clear plot and character development, this isn’t it. it left me thinking what the hell did i just read? and i love it for that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement

Minor: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

angelsfw's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Excrement, and Body horror

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

caitlincrtr's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Lesbophobia

jetpackdracula's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Sexual assault

savvylit's review

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

This novella is absolutely ripe with lush, sensory imagery. Hval describes sounds in particular in a visceral way that is unlike any other author I have ever read. Carral and Jo's relationship develops into one big, queer fever dream. Their interactions were so sensual yet bizarre that I often wondered whether Carral actually existed. In fact, Jo herself questions the reality of her own experiences to the point where her narration becomes entirely unreliable. I truly don't know what really happened in this book and I'm fine with that. This whole novella would have been a five star read for me except for the excessive descriptions of urination, which I found jarring.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Body horror

Moderate: Sexual assault

sosobee_06's review

challenging dark slow-paced

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

4.0

 You know those disconcerting half-awake-half-asleep feverish dreams that leave you in a state of utter confusion once you wake up from them? Yeah, that's what this book felt like. Reading it in one sitting at 11pm (26°C) did not help.
If I were to give a normal, non-repulsive summary, I would say this book is about a Norwegian biology student moving to Britain and slowly falling in love with her roommate. If you'd prefer a trippy, probably more accurate description, here are some key-words: Fungi-obsessed queer girl and her lover slowly rot away into a forbidden fruit. More key-words: Moist. Rot. Feminist. Horny. Apples.
And yes, there's piss involved. So. Much. Piss. I did come prepared as I had read some reviews before starting this book, but the sheer amount of urine was astounding.
Honestly, I really enjoyed this book. It feels like the written version of the songs Liquid Smooth by Mitski and In A Week by Hozier, and the lyrical writing was beautiful.
Well, if you want to feel like you just drank 4 bottles of cider after taking too many drugs, this book is for you.

Side-note: Not sure if anyone who's reading this knows The Magnus Archives, but Paradise Rot definetely gave me the impression that its author is an avatar of the Corruption. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Body horror and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcohol

canopicfemme's review

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.0

why was there so much about piss

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Sexual content, and Body horror

Moderate: Sexual assault

jae0141's review

dark mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Blood and Alcohol