Reviews with content warning for Rape - Páradais

Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Páradais by Fernanda Melchor

136 reviews

ceco_'s review against another edition

dark tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

Fernanda Melchor's best on display. Her stream of consciousness writing style propels you though the narrative at a dizzying, breakneck pace only to come out the other side surprised at how much character work, themes and perspectives you've absorbed along the way.

Paradais holds up a mirror to the class divide, misogyny and gang violence playing out in Mexico. It's unflinching in the cruelty it portrays, yet honest. Because as twisted as these characters are, as foul and sickening their actions, there's no doubt in your mind that they do exist somewhere out there, maybe not in this exact configuration, not in this exact crime, but an echo all the same.

I don't recommend this book if you have a weak stomach. Melchor pulls no punches in the way these characters interact with each other and the world. I'm talking fatphobic, homophic and misogynistic slurs + tropes littering almost every page. Read with caution. It will disgust you.

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twtoppings's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

The writing flowed well, mostly long sentences, running on as fast as thoughts. One large paragraph made up of only a couple long sentences. I really liked that.
Written in 3rd person.

I was so captured by the story, I had a hard time putting it down.

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katsteele5's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

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

3.0

Amazing prose, truly beautiful writing, and yet somehow seems to be unrelentingly dark for the sake of it. I can’t really wrap my head around this.

I didn’t find Polo’s immediate willingness to go along with Franco’s scheme very convincing. I might have felt a lot differently about it had that not been the case.

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sharissaneault's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

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

3.0

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veara_'s review against another edition

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dark reflective tense fast-paced

Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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connieevans's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

2.0

This was just too brutal and too much for me. I can appreciate what (I think) Melchor is trying to do - highlight how poverty/wealth can warp an individuals grasp on life and what is worth doing and what they’re entitled to do - however I really struggled to see past the disgustingness of this novel and I just spent the whole time feeling sick and wanting it to end.

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sophstercat's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Loveable characters? No

2.5

This book is well written and a quick read but truly dark and sick and hard to read and made me feel really bad and gross after reading. I personally would not recommend but also think some may really enjoy it.

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