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perseffable's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, War, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death of parent, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Murder
dgdrgn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Besides that, this fictional story is very insightful as it depicts Chilean history, politics, and feminism through the lives and struggles of the Trueba family, in particular through the three generations of women and the patriarch Esteban Trueba. Overall, it was a relatively heavy read with some lightness that came from the magical realism depicted through some of the family members as well as the absurdities of Esteban Trueba. Allende does a great job of writing the story in an almost playful method, using timelines and character POVs to tell an engaging story. Would recommend - just make sure to review the content/trigger warnings ahead of time.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Torture, War, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
however, i do find certain details a bit too gory, too many details felt overwhelming and disjointed at times, and estreban has the honor of being one of most detested male literary characters ever--everyone but the stubborn old crone ends up paying for the consequences of his actions, blerggghhh. the political stuff can be both exciting and stressful, and i learned so much abt chilean history that i'll prolly go down a wiki rabbithole after this. this is what i love abt reading translated works: u learn so much abt other places and cultures.
Graphic: Death, Cursing, Confinement, Kidnapping, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Car accident, Body horror, and Death of parent
adrinthesky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abortion, Car accident, Classism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Violence, Sexism, Rape, and Police brutality
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Animal death, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and War
rieviolet's review against another edition
- 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
I have to say that it's been a long time since I've despised a character as much as Esteban Trueba and I cannot emphasise enough how much I disliked the sections with him as a narrator. I listened to the audiobook and I think that I managed to finish the book only because I really liked the voice actress, otherwise I would have given up after the umpteenth of his capitalist rants or descriptions of his male prowess and insatiable desires, they made me want to scream.
I liked much better the final chapters that focused more on the social and political commentary and also the epilogue with Alba as narrator (honestly I would have preferred her as the main point of view).
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Ableism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Antisemitism, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, and Suicide
minxtte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Minor: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Infidelity
moosegurl's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Torture, Pedophilia, and Kidnapping
rosita's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Torture, Police brutality, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Rape
coinmanatee's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I liked this book right up until the moment Esteban Trueba opened his mouth. It's very very difficult to like a book that makes a rapist it's hero. A rapist, conservative, abusive, asshole of a man who never learns his lesson and dies without ever once realising that his actions are the reason that the rest of his family suffers such horrendous atrocities.
In any other book this man would have been the villain, and the point would have been to get away from him. In this book another man is introduced who is even more monstrous.
It's also just, really horrifically violently sexual in a lot of other ways that I got sick of very quickly. It's hard to like books that are sexual like that when you're Ace.
The one shining character in this book is Clara. I liked reading about her.
Unfortunately she was surrounded by idiots who treated her as a child, or an object, which did ruin her a bit. If you have a woman in your family who regularly performs magic, and makes prophecies, why aren't you listening to her every word? Idiots. There were tons of things that could have been prevented or at least the danger of lessened if anyone had thought "hey, maybe the earthquake the medium is predicting IS going to be horrific. We should take precautions!"
Ugh.
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Slavery, Sexual assault, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death
Classism