Reviews tagging 'Gore'

Las cosas que perdimos en el fuego by Mariana Enríquez

70 reviews

aprilyvonne's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Things We Lost in the Fire” by Mariana Enríquez was another unsettling, captivating, and uniquely feminist collection of macabre short stories. I first read “The Dangers of Smoking in Bed” about two years ago and I’m still struck by the strange stories that come to mind every now and then. 

This book was truly another example of a unique reading experience. It’s always hard to put into words something so grotesque, and yet, also mesmerizing. I’m still processing the stories, but the few that stood out are Adela’s House, Under the Black Water, End of Term, and Things We Lost in the Fire. Many of the stories and characters will likely haunt for a long time. I loved how the author could incorporate such themes of poverty, police brutality, women facing off the patriarchy, alongside the darker side of humanity. 

If you enjoy the dark, creepy, and daring, then this will be for you. Otherwise, be fair warned that it’s not for the faint of heart. 

***

“Burnings are the work of men. They have always burned us. Now we are burning ourselves. But we’re not going to die; we’re going to flaunt our scars.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism

ajlct's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

librarymouse's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

2.5

This was more engaging than the last of Mariana Enriquez's books that I read, but the removal of womens' agency explored, especially in the last piece, even as done through an attempt to radically assert that agency, was more unsettling than I expect. I also was not a fan of the trope of using disabilities or injuries to define people as monstrous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

isarza's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

3.5 estrellas porque no me gustaron todos los cuentos pero en general creo que disfruté leer a esta autora. 
Mis cuentos favoritos fueron "la casa de Adela", "nada de carne sobre nosotras", "bajo el agua negra". "Bajo el agua negra" me recordó a Lovecraft y me gustó esta referencia. 
Quisiera leer "los peligros de fumar en la cama" que dicen que es aún mejor. 

Odié el final de "el patio del vecino" Trigger warning por tener escenas de maltrato animal. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, and Blood

Minor: Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Rape, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

katievh's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug use, and Violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, and Classism

Minor: Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Transphobia, Murder, and Pregnancy

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and War

paginasmarcadas's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

Si bien me gustó, algunas de las historias me dejaron esperando más. Sobre todo las del principio se sienten como largas descripciones de una sola escena antes que un cuento completo. Va se flojo a mejor, los últimos me parecieron mucho más interesantes y los temas son variados, siempre con una impronta muy clara de su escritura que con solo una oración te revuelve las tripas.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Eating disorder and Excrement

erma11's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

Strong surrealism vibes, based in Argentina. Dark, grotesque, graphic, and highly interesting. After every short story I was left feeling a little spooked and reflecting on what I just read. Wonderful writing! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mayasr's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

5.0

fantastic & twisted

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

millieinks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol