Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Dune by Frank Herbert

190 reviews

lunacurlypaws's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Excellent worldbuilding, a little slow to start, a good balance of character study and political intrigue, has some very 60s ideas about race and gender that make the book a little dated. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia and Violence

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Slavery and Trafficking

Mentions of eugenics, sexism, gender-essentialism, detailed fat-phobic description of a character, possible use of tropes that appropriate or exoticize middle-eastern cultures.

bettysbookishworld's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

Literary masterpiece! I fell in love with Arrakis so much. Herbert created another reality of this planet by establishing its own politics, race, economics, culture, religion, and environment. 

The worldbuilding is the most complex aspect of the book and described imaginaries of Arrakis fell so real. 

The political story was very compelling and engaging. The characters have complex personalities and chatacteristics. All these aspects made Dune the genre defining literary piece with a story told on the existential level of Arrakis and other planets. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Genocide, Violence, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Death of parent

camelliagwerm's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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? Yes

2.5

Did I finish Dune (1965) or did Dune (1965) finish me? 

(This book has definitely not aged well and some of it truly is Whack but the 2.5 stars are for the girlboss Lady Jessica and the worms. The worms are awesome.)

(Also I'm now Dune-pilled.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Slavery

Minor: Incest

Probably one of the worst villains I have ever had the displeasure of experiencing in any form of media. Vladimir Harkonnen is the nastiest depiction I've encountered and is pretty much why I've flagged this book for half of the aforementioned content warnings. Depicting your villain as a

grossly obese gay man who is a sexual predator towards young men (drugs then rapes them - the act itself always happens off page, but you unfortunately have to read him thinking about it) and even has incestuous thoughts about his teenaged nephew and grandson

is certainly a Choice that felt like a floating hate crime.

kylieqrada's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Ok but this lived up to the hype!! Frank Herbert very clearly had Tolkien-level worldbuilding skills, and much less random exposition. I'm definitely not smart enough to pick up on all of the themes at play here, but the edition I read had an Afterword by Brian Herbert that helped explain some things. A banger.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Fatphobia, and Pedophilia

Minor: Rape and Slavery

theliteratewalrus2's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is just so good. Even if you don't like sci fi that much I recommend you read this, if you like classics or fantasy, or just good worldbuilding in, than you'll probably like this book. Just a warning though, this book is slow, it's exposition phase alone is longer than most full-length novels.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Addiction and Sexual assault

wxshwa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and War

caladbolg's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Pedophilia and Violence

Minor: Xenophobia

itszosia's review against another edition

adventurous reflective slow-paced

2.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore, Violence, Blood, and War

luminifera's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I find some of the characters very annoying for many different reasons, but the worst for sure is Chani. She simply

has no personality outside of being Paul's love interest

, which is kind of outrageous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Vomit, and Medical content

It's about the colonization of a planet, and the main character is The Chosen One. Expect violence, war, and of course plenty of misogyny - this book is from the 1960s and was written by a man. Some things are simply offensive.

annabella's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

Enjoyed this as an audiobook, though found it hard to navigate so many characters. Having seen the film for the first book that was really interesting to listen to, and the next ones make me look forward to the next adaptations. Found some things weren’t quite explained - but maybe because I was not paying attention properly sometimes. Of ending that is thought provoking and leaves me wanting more or to flick through all the Princess’ extracts.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Fatphobia