Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Paradais by Fernanda Melchor

24 reviews

twtoppings's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

The writing flowed well, mostly long sentences, running on as fast as thoughts. One large paragraph made up of only a couple long sentences. I really liked that. 
Written in 3rd person.

I was so captured by the story, I had a hard time putting it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Kidnapping

veara_'s review

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexism, Police brutality, Cursing, Pedophilia, Rape, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Homophobia, and Fatphobia

junejunejulyjuly's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Classism, Drug use, Fatphobia, Addiction, Violence, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Stalking, Sexism, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Body shaming, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual violence

cmcrockford's review

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Pretty great crime novella even if part of me thinks it should be a short story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Classism, Excrement, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Vomit, Murder, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Incest, and Sexism

Moderate: Ableism

Trigger warning seems like a pretty useless phrase for this book.

mermaidstears's review

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

1.5

read the content warnings before you even consider picking up this book. Heavy topics don't really deter me but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. I understand why some enjoy this but it's an absoulte no from me. stay safe out there x

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Cursing, Fatphobia, Incest, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Torture, Gore, Grief, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Dementia, Blood, Death, Drug use, Bullying, Excrement, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

bloupibloupreads's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Horrific, disgusting, frightful and nauseating, ‘Paradais’ is a story about porn addiction, taking the reader directly in the mind of a raging misogynistic boy.

Located in a lavish residential complex in Mexico, ‘Paradais’ follows Polo, 16, alcoholic, living in an abusive house with his mother and “oversexed pervert” cousin Zorayda and Franco, or “Fatboy”, an overweight teenager addicted to pornography living in the wealthy residence of Paradise where Polo works as a gardener. Franco develops an unhealthy obsession with his neighbor, Senora Marian, a beautiful woman married with two children. 

The two boys end up in an mutualist relationship, Polo gets free alcohol from Franco and Franco gets to have an ear to listen to his horrific rants about Senora Marian. As time goes by, Franco convince Polo to follow him in a gruesome scheme he planned. 

‘Paradais’ is narrated in this torrent of prose and stream of thoughts, clustered-like paragraphs that make the reader feel trapped in Polo’s mind as he slowy drives himself to madness. 

I knew from the very beginning how the novel would end, not because I was spoiled but because it is quite obvious and yet I still found myself hoping for a good ending, a redemption arc from the characters, wishing for them to back up from their original plan. 

I was planning on giving 4 stars but I settled for 3.5 because this book just doesn’t sit right with me. Upon finishing it, I felt like it was more revenge-violence-porn oriented and was lacking in concrete depth and moral. I felt disgusted to say the least. This book is nasty, in a good and bad way. 

After sitting and letting the book marinate in my mind I came up with the conclusion that it was not a fun read and was never intended to be one. It is, ultimately, a book about violence and how normalized it is in our society. I applause Fernanda Melchor for her talent. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, and Rape

Moderate: Incest, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Torture

margarrrita's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Alcoholism, Gore, Incest, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, and Murder

syd_the_bookish_kid'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Stalking, Drug abuse, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Racism, Pregnancy, Blood, Ableism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Cursing, Addiction, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Fatphobia, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Toxic friendship

sarrna's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic friendship, Torture, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Gore, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Bullying, Rape, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Classism, and Child abuse

rasy's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

2.0

Unfiltered, subversive, repulsive, lustful and shocking in delivery. Has the classic elements of Latin American literature.

Appreciate the story and understood the backbone. Definitely not my cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Blood, Cursing, and Kidnapping