Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - An Untamed State

Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

30 reviews

tnociti's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

3.5

Complicated, dark, and very hard to read. The complete destruction of a woman and her family at the hands of kidnappers who took her from outside her family compound in Port-au-Prince. Reads extremely quickly but not easily! Not for the faint of heart but worth the time if you can push through. My favorite parts centered on the time Mireille spent in Nebraska. Graphic but not gratuitously so. It's like reading The Yellow Wallpaper - you need to feel the descent. That was done well.

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chloejoy's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

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

0.5

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booktothefuture's review

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dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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fionac326's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

2.0

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fsprouls's review

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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alysalongo's review

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dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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reebuttercup's review

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dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An Untamed State is beautifully written. It is a masterclass in jumping back and forth in time to describe characters' experiences and mental states in what is termed the "before" and "after". The story describes the worst that could happen to a woman (or anyone who finds themselves in such a situation) so be prepared for intense triggers.

However, very few reviewers include "hopeful" as a mood for this book. Even though I understand why, I could not help but feel the hope in Mireille (the kidnapped protagonist). She herself thinks that she is giving up but every step of the way she makes decisions that increase her chances of going back to her family. I do not think this is a spoiler (after all we are told from the beginning that there is an "after") and I feel it needs to be highlighted for readers who might shy away from reading this book because of the difficult issues mentioned.

This is ultimately about finding mental gumption in the face of the extreme adversity and Roxane Gay handled it masterfully.

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