Reviews with content warning for Antisemitism - These Violent Delights

Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'

These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever

33 reviews

brekkerlun's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I feel like I say this in all my reviews recently, but I simply adore insane, unlikeable people in books. This, combined with the intense plot lines and splendid writing, made my reading experience of this novel a very pleasant one overall. It gripped me right from the first chapter, and the more I got to know the characters the more I wanted to just keep reading and see where it all would lead (always with a sense of impending doom looming over my head though). I believe the author did a great job fleshing out each of them, even the secondary ones, thus adding a lot of depth and nuance to the story of the protagonists.

"And that's how it feels, it hurts, it's like I lost you before I was born"

The reason this didn't get 5 stars for me is firstly due to the pacing in the second half (I feel it dragged a bit more than it should've after the 55-60% mark), which made it lose a bit of the tension it had up until that point, and secondly due to some inconsistencies in the writing. Although I found it profound for the most part, some chapters and specific passages didn't deliver as well as others, which in turn made the characters seem incongruent; it felt like you'd gotten to know them behaving and speaking in a specific manner, only to then have some dialogue or inner thought that seemed out of place (for example,

the writing in the whole interaction between Paul and Julian's parents

read too YA in comparison to most, if not all interactions prior to that point).

Despite this I've grown attached to the main characters, and although it is a violent story in nature I could still see the tenderness woven throughout by the author. It was easy to sense how much thought and care they put into this book. These two will pretentious teens always haunt me, and honestly I'm happy about it.

"I need to make something beautiful, something that lasts. I don't know what, but I have to, if I want my life to matter at all."

Content Warnings

shanesaloser's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book is the kind of read that has you on edge on every page. You know the general premise, you know the characters, but as the book goes on you realize you know less and less. The ending left me ill, and made me contemplate my life choices. I’d say the best word to describe it is excruciating.

Content Warnings

terranstorm's review against another edition

5.0

dark reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

“I kill them because they’re beautiful, and it’s the only way I can keep them.”

This was incredible. I need to sit with my thoughts on this one a little longer, will update later, just... wow.

Content Warnings

pawtory's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 43%

I am more of a romance reader and the characters were just so young, and pretty cruel to each other. I knew the relationship would be toxic but it was more than I was comfortable reading between babies (they are both I believe 16 at the beginning even though they are in college, and both are 17 by the time I stopped). More suicidal ideation/talk than I expected as well.

For characters which had been set up by the story to have what seemed like a decent code of ethics, their behavior seemed incongruous. I thought it was going to be about them getting obsessed with each other, maybe exploring sadistic tendencies, and taking it out on people they thought deserved it but by this point in the book it seemed much darker than that. My warnings are not comprehensive

Content Warnings

emma_ekb's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

starting the year off on a strong note. this book had me completely enthralled. the author spins such a story of obsession and alienation that i felt caught up in it.

i’m really intrigued by the idea of paul as an unreliable narrator, especially in the portrayal of julian and of his family. i also think the author’s note at the end really seals the deal on these ideas of righteous anger, the fine line between love and obsession and the intricacies of being queer and jewish in the 20th century.

the book presents a number of moral ethical dilemmas that challenge the reader, but nothing is perhaps so challenging as being confronted with the reality of paul and julian and how one can see themselves reflected in their neuroticism, even in the slightest ways.

there were times throughout the book where i felt i was missing information, but upon reflection i realize that’s intentional - we were occupying paul’s mind, of course he’s going to leave details out and obsess over others.

i am tentatively docking the 0.25 stars for a tendency to drag in the middle, but overall, i devoured this novel in all its brutal honesty. i hope to see more of the author

i would recommend this book to: fans of “saltburn”, dark academia enthusiasts, fans of unreliable narrators, jegulus fanfiction readers

Content Warnings

lvleggett's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

There is an interesting psychological thriller in this book, but it got a little lost in what felt like a lot of superfluous teenage angst and doubt. Two young men meet each other at college in 1970s Pittsburgg, drawn to each other's minds. It's a volatile relationship from the start, the kind of first love that burns very brightly and with a violent streak. They bring out the worst in each other. A thought exercise eventually turns into a real-life decision to unalive a stranger. But who's in control, who's calling the shots? When things go awry, how strong is their relationship?

Definitely some interesting ideas here about the sometimes blurry lines between passion / violence and the arrogance of youth. If you like Patricia Highsmith and Donna Tartt, there are things you'll like here

Content Warnings

caia_in_wonderland's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was really hard to read, but compulsive and so good too.
Such twisted love, such obsession, such intellect— such twisted characters.
It’s hard to review without spoiling the read. I can say this, trauma, depression, do not mix well with narcissistic personality— “These Violent Delights have Violent Ends”.
The only reason I dropped .25⭐️ is because at times I felt so uncomfortable at the disturbing behaviours between the pair. Also, I didn’t want the story to end, I wanted to know more, it was disheartening to have it end, especially as it did.

Content Warnings