Reviews tagging 'Death'

Snow by John Banville

6 reviews

dorsetreader's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Blood, Suicide, Violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Grief, Sexual content, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

primaproulla's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Rape, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Infidelity

cstein's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Enjoyable read with interesting insights into Irish history/politics, but too many knowing nods to mystery genre tropes and archetypes, the motive was obvious to the reader long before the detective, and

there was a frustratingly long break between when we learned a character was dead and Strafford got it together to find the body.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Murder, Pedophilia, Gore, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Alcoholism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Vomit and Child death

klfgasaway's review

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcohol, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

mercurialbooks's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

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

1.5

I cannot say I enjoyed this, as soon as the murder happens it is pretty obvious who the criminal is and even why they would have committed murder. Which is unfortunate.

That and the complete lack of actual investigation on the part of the detective left me a little confused as to how this has been pitched as a mystery / crime story at all. 

The main character seems to just hang out in the local area and it gets solved because someone eventually tells him the answer. 

So many plot holes it was painful. Oh that character isn't violent because he once worked in a butchers and couldn't wring a chickens neck? But he has literally just hunted a rabbit and split it open to gut it for cooking and doesn't blink?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape

Moderate: Death and Violence

travelseatsreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

A well constructed murder mystery which kept tension slowly simmering throughout.
I didn't love or hate this one but thought the interlude while downright disgusting was fantastically well done. A brave move by Banville to try and get into the heads of these absolute monsters.
I felt Jenkins going missing was done in a bit of a lazy fashion and felt like it was there just to wrap up the plot at the end, and think developing that aspect of the story may have been more beneficial than the countless unnecessary pubs scenes.
A solid 3 star for me, a good read but nothing spectacular.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship