Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Cantik Itu Luka by Eka Kurniawan

10 reviews

thursdd4y's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Child death, Classism, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Police brutality, Vomit, Grief, Incest, Cursing, Sexual assault, Abortion, Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, Body shaming, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Pregnancy, Confinement, Suicide, Colonisation, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Torture, and Violence

allyem_reads's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Incest, Sexism, Slavery, War, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Kidnapping, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, Body horror, and Classism

joygarcialim's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Rape, Racism, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Abortion, Cursing, Genocide, Mental illness, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Incest, Sexual assault, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Grief, Police brutality, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Misogyny, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

imaginefishes's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

4.75

The story is told non-linearly, with a giant ensemble cast of characters who have someone all been interwoven together into the same family, and yet, the story does not become drab nor difficult to follow. Despite the dark matters (such as rape) described in the book, the tone of writing remains lighthearted and almost cheeky, which makes it for an easy read (though the normalising of violence, sexual or otherwise, towards women may be difficult to stomach at times). The story is entertaining to the end, and seeing all the final pieces fall into place describing the choices of characters from chapters ago was somewhat satisfying, but also mildly disappointing due to the reveal of the central piece.

Overall, this is a story about myth and legend set in a real-life historical timeline, where the Indonesian experience of war, decolonialisation, and post-independence is reflected through a variety of characters symbolising these differing themes. My (brief) learning of Indonesian history in school definitely aided in my following of the timeline, and I would recommend readers familiarise themselves with these topics prior to taking on this book. Besides showcasing the overall population-wide experience, the book also depicts the micro-perspective of Dewi Ayu and the tragic fate of her family, which when combined with the humorous choice of phrases used in the book, somehow allows me as the reader not to feel sympathy for them, but rather, view their demise as consequences of their own actions.

Truly, no character in this story is innocent. Crime, immorality, and violence are the bread and butter of the plot, and there are more than necessary descriptions of fecal matter and death. Though, I did not find these descriptions to be overtly vulgar as this diction fits into the overall tone of the book.

I had no clue what this book would be about when I first read it, but I do not regret picking it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Sexual content, Gun violence, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Torture, War, Alcohol, Colonisation, Death of parent, Excrement, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Grief and Bullying

acecatlady's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Do you like Isabelle Allende? Can you handle stories of the brutalization of Korean women by the Japanese in the early 1900s? Then this (probably not fiction enough) story about 20th century Indonesia might just be for you.

Not for the faint of heart. It is a fantastically raw magical realism take on colonialist and post-colonialist violence. On the horrors of humanity. But it can also be flippant and funny. A lot of very time-specific stuff and culturally specific stuff that if you've spent time in SE Asia are interesting to read like this. 

I think people really focus on the male/female aspect of this, and I get that, totally. Sexual assault and rape and love or desire as a sickness are a big part of it, but you really can't ignore the colonialism inherent in the story. It at the very foundation of the curse. 

Honestly, a lot of modern western horror WISH it went this hard. If you have triggers? Make sure to check the content warnings cuz this book has all of them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, War, Abortion, Confinement, Genocide, Incest, and Rape

bestiality and forced prostitution, shockingly not menu options, anyhow, both pretty damn present early on

issyd23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Unlike anything I’ve ever read - completely disgusting but also moving at times. Very clever how Eka waves in political and social history of Indo 4⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Classism, Cursing, Infidelity, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Rape, Excrement, Gaslighting, Genocide, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, War, Grief, Murder, Violence, Racism, and Self harm

thegodfather's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Classism, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and War

tashadhyani's review against another edition

challenging dark funny slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Colonisation, Genocide, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

anayamembaca's review against another edition

dark funny informative medium-paced

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

4.5

The book doesn't pander to the audience, relentlessly brutal with a beautiful ending, Cantik itu Luka could definitely do with less graphic sexual assault depictions. I thought I'd give this book two/three stars but the last few hundred pages managed to render me speechless, reading Cantik itu Luka is a lot like Stockholm Syndrome, beats you into submission until you love it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Abortion

Minor: Incest

liagatha's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and War