Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

8 reviews

calcijade's review

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Colonisation and Racism

Minor: Pregnancy

rosevint's review

challenging reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Animal death, Racism, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

rmphyllis's review

dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, and Rape

leonormsousa's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Abortion, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Body shaming, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

librarymouse's review

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

I have so many feelings and questions about this book. It's so beautifully written. I caught some of the extra detail in the book, but I know there are hundreds of details and references sewn into the book that I've missed on this first read through. One instance that was particularly impactful was the mention of verbena and jonquil on page 177 and pine on page 178, after his visit with the Isaacs. Their respective meanings of prayer or a request to pray for an individual; forgiveness or a desire that affection be returned; and endurance, piety, and hope in adversity add so much to the characterization of David, yet the description of flowers scenting the air fits so neatly into the scene setting that they could comfortably be ignored. David Lurie is intensely easy to dislike, yet there are instances in which he is not quite redeemed, but is humanized and brought out of his self-reflective/self centered stupor. He has a main character complex to the point of near delusion. Despite his continual fall towards lust, he does seem to learn something, though I'm not sure what. He learns loss and grief, learns that he is incapable of compromise in many ways but is capable of letting go of what he cannot control. Coetzee does a fantastic job with these characters and their individual and collective shames.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Animal death, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Stalking, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Rape, and Confinement

Moderate: Colonisation

Minor: Abortion and Lesbophobia

theoreads's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-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? Yes

2.0

This is one of those books that I really wanted to like, but wound up hating instead. Heavy subject matter aside, the writing is solid enough - good, but not great - and it kept me engaged. That said, I would pay actual money to unread this. I don’t usually mind unlikable protagonists, but this book had so many unredeemable, g-dawful characters that I couldn’t get past, which made it difficult to feel connected to what was happening. Wouldn’t read it again, going straight in my donation pile. 

⭐️ 3.75 for writing
⭐️ 3.5 for “value in discussion” (I can see this being interesting in a seminar context re: its (allegorical) depiction of South Africa in the wake of Apartheid, although I’d imagine I’d get far too heated about how much I dislike this book)
⭐️ 1 for literally everything else

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: Rape, Racism, Pregnancy, Gore, Death, and Xenophobia

Minor: Abortion and Stalking

sarahhead's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Animal death and Violence

Minor: Racism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Pregnancy

lettucelaugh's review

challenging dark emotional funny fast-paced

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

4.75

This book is told from the perspective of David Lurie, a self-proclaimed womanizer. He's a misogynist, a stubborn, delusional old man who is exceptionally unlikable, and whose actions left me with secondhand embarrassment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment