Reviews tagging 'Death'

Las cosas que perdimos en el fuego by Mariana Enríquez

89 reviews

moraofthestory's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Self harm, Rape, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Death, Murder, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Trafficking, Transphobia, Stalking, and Eating disorder

Minor: Excrement

cindymarieo's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed these unsettling horror stories. You can see the influence of Argentina’s past- the disappearances, the police presence, etc. There is an uncertainty as to whether the horror is due to something supernatural (Demons? Spirits? Ghosts?) or due to other human beings. Feminism is a theme that occurs in multiple stories. I recommend reading this rather than listening to the audiobook. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury

jenk2020's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Overall - 4.3/5
Story - 4.5/5
Writing - 4.5/5
Character - 4/5
Memorability - 4.5/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Would I read again? Yes

Well. What a deeply disturbing, thought provoking, evocative collection that was. I'm glad I read this with my book club as it generated great conversation. This collection won't be for the faint hearted, but if you like your stories with a macabre, fantastical twist, this one's for you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, Body horror, Animal death, Gore, Death, and Animal cruelty

moonlighthepburn's review against another edition

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Abortion, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Self harm, and Violence

recollections's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

es a última historia...sin palabras

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual violence, and Violence

katie_greenwinginmymouth's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• 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

So glad to have finally got round to reading these stories. I really appreciate writing where horror or genre tropes are used to explore and expose actual real life horror - in this case that of a country that has been brutalised by decades of violent dictatorship. These elements of the stories are so well done and are rooted in Argentina’s religious and spiritual traditions. The stories are genuinely unsettling and rightly so. There is a really strong sense of place throughout and the unforgiving nature of the landscape and the climate is often referenced - at one point the humidity is described “as if a brutal arm were wound round your waist and squeezing.” I was struck by how many of the stories featured vile, useless or abusive men and how much that said about the pervasiveness of toxic masculinity. “Under the Black Water” might have been my favourite one for its brilliant commentary on police brutality, environmental degradation and society’s prejudice against and fear of marginalised communities. It is darkly carnivalesque and burrows deep under your skin.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Murder

internationalreads's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Abortion, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

noel_b's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A creepy collection of stories that are unsettling, sometimes disgusting, and always, always vivid. Every story goes to a different part of Argentina and explores a different version of life at its margins.

Most of the stories have a gothic feel to them and the prose (at least in Spanish) managed to describe my home country in a way that felt both familiar and alien. Comforting and disturbing. The author knows exactly how to latch on to the shadows we tend to look over, and make them deeper, darker, impossible to ignore. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Self harm, Police brutality, Misogyny, and Mental illness

chiaralzr's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Suicide, and Torture

patricia_epub's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Eating disorder, Gore, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Police brutality