Reviews

Cantik Itu Luka by Eka Kurniawan

jannagregory's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

2.5

I respect this book, but don’t like it very much.  It’s quite an epic work on the part of the author and translator, but it meanders and leaves a character’s storyline just as I was starting to feel engrossed.  There is a resolution if you can stick it out and finish the book, but it’s often tedious getting there.  Lots of rape, death, sex, and men being captivated by beauty to the detriment of the beautiful.

blssdlullaby's review against another edition

5.0

i will never recover from this.


heavy TW for rape, misogyny, and abuse

lyssylyssy's review against another edition

At some point, it shifted from being about Dewi Ayu to being about the awful men in her life and how they groomed her daughters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Blood, and Colonisation

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and War

raquelmozart_123's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I wanted to love it so bad but the end could never suffice for all the wrongs and pain I had to go through as a reader (female and non white at that). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

rsabilaf's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, and Sexual assault

lifelinds's review against another edition

4.0

Never read anything like it
Very graphic but think it served a purpose 
All came together well

meirysza's review against another edition

It’s not a choice to be born as a woman but it’s your choice to not think woman as an object.

hollylath24's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.0

marla_arguelles's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0

favplum's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

Moderate: Incest