Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

101 reviews

natalielcheung's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

blanxx_2102's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

It's taken me a while since finishing this book to write a review because I had to gather my thoughts. This is already a big plus; I love books that make me reflect and force me to marinate in my opinions.

I approached this book in full knowledge of the *very* general overarching plot: two young men (Ellwood and Gaunt) enlist in the war effort and fall in love in the meantime. However, I was not expecting the sheer depth of the novel. I was firstly taken aback at how real and beautiful the main characters' friendship is while they're attending Preshute school. The way in which Winn explores both boys' longing (with a capital L) for each other- all the while being in denial that their affections are reciprocated- completely pulled at my heartstrings. Then, Winn added salt to the wound when they enlist, which is only healed when they reunite. I will avoid spoilers, but I will say that the emotional rollercoaster does not lessen, however, her writing is so captivating and vivid and stunning that even the pain is worth the read.

In addition, I was truly in awe at how much research must've gone into the book, which Winn perfectly showcases in a way that doesn't feel like you're reading a history book. I learned so much about World War I- be it about life in the front and trenches, how enlistment worked, the variety of afflictions and injuries possible, the treatment of prisoners of war, the In Memoriam columns... You name it, Winn covers it. I also really like that she doesn't sugarcoat any dark history facts, it made the narrative all the more credible. It often felt like, as readers, we were right at the frontline with the characters. 
I would urge everybody to read this because it is such a fantastic, emotionally intricate, thought provoking read that kept me raptured for every page and which will make me reflect for a long time to come.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Classism

tferrari's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

4.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and War

Moderate: Sexual content

billy_3's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, and War

joshuach's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

 An unrelentingly depressing story about two men in love in the trenches of World War I: I mean it—Alice Winn does not let up in her prose, her descriptions, and the emotional convictions of both her main characters as they grapple with the inherent violence of men, the vomit-inducing realities of war, all while balancing their stark lives as two men loving one another despite the injunction of judgment, ridicule, and death. There were several sections where I had to stop and think: some good, some bad. Winn describes in gruesome yet brief detail catastrophic violence and gore, and in the same breath, Winn builds romance and lust. There were moments where I hated the characters and loved them; I kept seeing a gentleness between the lines, between horror and love. There were fleeting moments of bright, lush peace but insurmountable responsibility that this is a war book, this is a queer book, and, somehow, that alone was enough tragedy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, and War

ambersoda's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Medical content, and Alcohol

Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism

gentlemanjack's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and War

dkayayay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This was equal parts devastatingly fucking brutal yet so painfully enduringly hopeful. Fuck war.

(Also make sure to read the content warnings if you're planning on reading!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death and Sexual content

Minor: Suicide

shotsy15's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Vomit, War, and Injury/Injury detail

redheadorganist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content and Suicide