Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

44 reviews

leah_alexandra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This will rip your heart out and tear it in two. One of the bleakest, most difficult to grapple with books I’ve ever read, but I could not put it down. Distinct and effective prose—worked so well to convey the feelings of the kinds of experiences the characters were going through. Oof overall. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Cannibalism, Body horror, and Medical content

bitterpearl's review

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

It's an eye-opener about the effects of climate change on our planet, but at the same time the author teaches us that if current society is stripped bare of its material wealth, power, and pleasures, nothing else will help the human race but love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, Gore, Physical abuse, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Body horror, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual harassment, Violence, Cannibalism, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Blood, and Child death

tkroeker's review

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

This book is a challenging read. The writing is solid throughout, at times impeccable. At its best it is straight poetry, which contrasts with raw matter-of-fact depictions of unimaginable brutality and loss of humanity. It is a clever device McCarthy uses to mirror the abstraction that traumatized people must undergo in order to avoid their own insanity. It’s well worth the read if you can stomach it. Stars docked for preference more than quality. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Torture, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Slavery, Kidnapping, and Suicide

ms_sarah621's review

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This is a quick, dark novel about a man and his son surviving the apocalypse. The conversations between the two characters are heartbreaking and interesting. It’s impossible to try and understand how to raise a child in this horrific situation. How do you explain anything? We get to see the man struggle with this, and how the boy responds to the horror he witnesses. The story is very bleak and, at times, unfocused. However, there is not much in this world to focus on except survival. The differences between the boy and the man are interesting to watch as they handle situations with different perspectives. It is thought-provoking and reads very fast. I enjoyed the experience, but a few times I was slowed down by the writing or what was happening. But, to make an entertaining book in a world where nothing happens, that’s impressive. Would recommend the read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Cannibalism, Body horror, and Death of parent

rottenromance's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Slavery, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, Suicide, Physical abuse, Animal death, Confinement, Body horror, Violence, Sexual violence, and Child abuse

christianbluer's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Trafficking, Gore, Slavery, Child death, Murder, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Physical abuse, Grief, Cannibalism, and Blood

Moderate: Vomit and Terminal illness

maulikki's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

I usually like stories set in dystopian worlds, and this one definitely left me thinking. To me, the book was a good balance between light and dark, I really enjoyed all the small believable moments of love and humanity inside the new bleek world. The book rarely gave any answers, and instead presented a parent in impossible situations trying their best to protect their child. I get this is not for anyone, but just for the writing alone, I could recommend this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Slavery, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Torture, Vomit, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cannibalism, Rape, Child abuse, Excrement, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Child death, Death of parent, Violence, and Murder

beamishbooks's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

One of the best fictional books I've ever read, maybe the best.
DEFINITELY the best dystopian tale.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Vomit, Murder, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Terminal illness, Gore, Abandonment, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Gun violence, Violence, and Animal death

uniquelymace's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Vomit, Death of parent, Excrement, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death, Gore, Grief, Suicide, Torture, Murder, Cursing, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, and Violence

ar0deth's review

dark sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cannibalism, Death of parent, Grief, Body horror, and Death