Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Snow by John Banville

17 reviews

velozebra's review

sad medium-paced

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

2.0

Content warning that I didn’t have:

this book contains a horrific scene of the sexual assault of a child told from the offender’s POV about halfway through

. I wish I had known about it. It’s unnecessary for the plot development, it was obvious long before this what had happened and it did NOT need to be there. I do not read past books that contain gratuitous scenes of sexual assault when they are clearly there for prurient reasons and do not advance the story in any way. Like, is this supposed to be edgy? Because it’s most assuredly NOT. It’s exploitive. Also, I can’t stand books where you’re not sure if the MC, a detective, is meant to be an idiot? Because this one surely is. Even if he’s annoying and stuck up, I don’t think he’s meant to be stupid enough to miss obvious clues and

cross boundaries with a waif-like damsel in distress

. The tropes are strong in this novel, and not in a good way. What a waste of my time. It could have been a good book, which is why I read more than half of it. Ruined by a lack of subtlety and imagination. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

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

romanova's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Pedophilia

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

barmyjen's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault

genevievereads's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

tallbookishgirl's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse

indigopuzzle's review against another edition

mysterious medium-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? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse

elsmith09's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, and Adult/minor relationship

laurenmvmills's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-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

3.0

Tired and predictable priest trope but otherwise good read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Abandonment