Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda

18 reviews

biblioghoul's review

challenging dark emotional medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Body shaming and Religious bigotry

taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

I really wanted to love this, and whilst I haven't disliked it, I'm just not that fussed about reading it. So, for the moment, it's a DNF. The writing is absolutely gorgeous and there were some really un-nerving moments. I think I'll come back to this one, I'm just not feeling it right now. 
CW: up to where I read 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Violence, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

aliciarosales's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia

our_bookish_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, and Rape

clarebear2218's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Self harm, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

lain_darko's review

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol

blackmetalblackheart's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

 Jawbone is not a book for everyone. It is profoundly disturbing at times; filled with messy characters, intense trauma, manipulative behavior, and torture. Yet there is a depth to its message; the connections of the characters, the bonds of mothers and daughters, the idea of purity and potential. The stream of consciousness style of writing gets into the heads of these characters in a way that captures their unique voices, thoughts, and perspectives. Sitting here after having finished, there is an unsettled feeling in my stomach; an uneasiness that is hard to capture in words. And that is the power of this book. Ojeda, and the amazing work of the translator, presents something visceral and powerful. Some will be turned off by that, but those who are not will find something truly excellent within these pages. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death

marywahlmeierbracciano's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Jawbone is an outrageously innovative novel of literary horror which weaves together classic literature, pop culture, and creepypastas with a running stitch of hyphens and a sprinkle of Ferrante.  This is a book about fear and horror—this is a book about mothers and daughters.  We follow panic-ridden Clara, a young teacher obsessed with becoming her dead mother, as she encounters Annelise and Fernanda, the sapphic leaders of a pack of teen girls who take over an abandoned building to make a game of worshiping a horrifying White God of their own invention.  Mónica Ojeda traps readers between her teeth with never-before-dared depictions of ugliness and taboo, and Sarah Booker’s translator’s note is incredibly insightful—don’t skip it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy