Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Les tentacules by Rita Indiana

10 reviews

litprof's review against another edition

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Brimming with ideas, characters, temporal shifts, other transitions, provocations, musical and artistic allusions, and imagery. Disappointingly little content about the ocean or Santería though, and I found the racism, homophobia, rape fantasies, and graphic violence gratuitous, while the extensive cast was difficult to follow.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Rape

hfrancesh's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Rape, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Dysphoria, Colonisation, Murder, and Medical content

Minor: Animal cruelty

neugrowf's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

Reality totally bends and distorts with this book! It asks us to experience multiple timelines at once with manic-dreamlike intensity. I am bruised after reading it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Homophobia, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Rape

caitlin_waddick's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, Sexual violence, Racism, Rape, and Sexism

Great writing Complex plot Fabulous time travel. More to say later when I update the review.

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

challenging medium-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

1.25

A set of expansive ideas that tries to squeeze itself into an under-200-page novella, Tentacle feels like three different narratives combined into one -- and not in a particularly good way. The writing style, or at least what of it is clear in translation, is stiff and dry, only sometimes veering into something more interesting. Information is revealed in flat blocks that make it impossible to tell what will be relevant later and what will never be referenced again, with the most key details about the plot and world buried in stream-of-consciousness rambling (and the occasional rape fantasy).

The most interesting elements of that world, like an "instant sex change" injection, are treated effectively as set dressing, never really explored in depth. Instead, the meandering plot follows uninteresting, indistinct characters through events and timelines that are equally difficult to differentiate. Despite parts of their backstories being recounted in detail, I have no sense of who most of the characters are as people... other than their bigoted attitudes.

Such views being expressed by characters is one thing, but they're present in excess and never treated with especial gravity or challenged meaningfully by the narrative, and if anything seem reinforced by it. Black characters are invariably treated with disdain, to say nothing of the constant use of the N-word (by a non-Black author and translator), and the trans protagonist is only appropriately gendered after undergoing full physical transition, with no real conscious examination of his identity and experiences. Perhaps these are purposeful qualities of the setting, but if so it's never communicated well.

Could have probably been very interesting in a different format, but the combination of dense writing and gratuitous racism/homophobia and sexual violence made it far from an enjoyable read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Sexual violence, Racism, Medical content, Misogyny, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual content, Animal death, Murder, Death, Homophobia, Transphobia, Body horror, Gore, and Gun violence

Minor: Antisemitism, Incest, Pedophilia, Fatphobia, Vomit, Ableism, Abortion, and Child abuse

amvs1111's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

vegetablemathematics's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

Minor: Rape, Racism, and Violence

dancevera's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

2.0

I did not enjoy this book, largely because I didn't like any of the characters. There were some interesting ideas in here sure, but I couldn't bring myself to care about anyone. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Sexual violence, and Racism

raenyreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

This book is so weird but also super interesting! I liked how it all came together at the end and as a Marine biologist I enjoyed the marine elements!
There are parts I'm not sure on the point of though which lowers my rating.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Violence

jelka_theclimatereader's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Racism, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexism and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal cruelty, Deadnaming, Drug use, and Murder