Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

46 reviews

orlagal's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Incest, Abortion, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Vomit, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Classism, Pedophilia, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

toujours753's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Chronic illness, Violence, Abandonment, Body shaming, Torture, Vomit, Gaslighting, Excrement, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Infertility, Incest, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Stalking

kayla_wikaryasz's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

0.5

This book was gross. Not even in a good way. Clearly this author is talented, but the story was so perverse that it seemed they were just going for shock value. I only finished it because I invested too much time into it already, and was hopeful that it would at least end in a meaningful way. It didn't. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Blood, Mental illness, Death, Animal death, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Rape, Medical trauma, Gore, Ableism, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Violence, Sexism, Miscarriage, Self harm, Religious bigotry, and Animal cruelty

hedsek's review against another edition

dark medium-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

3.0

A train wreck I couldn't look away from but in the end I wonder if there's any point to this book. Idk it just feels over the top ironic with how meaningless all the violence and gore is when all it seems to say is religion bad and humans bad.

Maybe it's because I'm used to fucked up stuff from reading Dutch literature but it's not as shocking as some reviews make it out. Still, unpleasant stuff. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Abandonment, Excrement, Murder, Rape, Body horror, Classism, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Animal death, Child death, Self harm, Sexism, Pedophilia, Ableism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Vomit, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Suicide, Addiction, and Suicidal thoughts

baileyherman's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abortion, Alcohol, Suicide, Child abuse, Classism, Child death, Incest, Mental illness, Gore, Rape, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Death, and Death of parent

zlizzyv's review against another edition

dark 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

2.0

This was easily the strangest book I have ever read. Previous reviews said it felt like a fever dream. Truly it is beyond wild. I was, however, invested, so I did finish it and was surprised by the plot line/ending.

Was the point to be as repulsive and evil as possible? Is it a cruel irony to have so many trigger warnings in one book?

I do not regret finishing the book, but I cannot say I enjoyed it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Abortion, Alcohol, Confinement, Drug use, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Child death, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexism, Grief, Medical content, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Slavery, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

isabelamaro's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-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

3.0

I found the book to be very dark and quite upsetting personally. There are numerous scenes depicting abuse, neglect, and even rape. While I acknowledge that it is well-written and an overall commendable work of dark fiction, one must appreciate the style to truly enjoy it. Unfortunately, it does not align with my personal taste, and it's not a book I would choose to read again. It doesn't evoke a positive feeling upon completion. On the flip side, there is intriguing character development for the main character, Marek.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Abortion, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Addiction, Grief, Death, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Child abuse

niamhhurley27's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

i will never look at grapes again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Incest, Kidnapping, Gore, Death, Child abuse, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Excrement, Abortion, Body horror, Grief, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, and Rape

reading_112's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Murder, Sexual content, Animal death, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Drug use, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Body horror, Death, Child abuse, Cursing, Child death, Grief, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

kcakes719's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

5.0

Opening with that Demi Lovato quote was like a punch in the gut.

I think I might be severely desensitized because this book didn’t gross me out in the way others have described. It certainly has moments where I can see why someone would be disturbed though. This is a medieval slice of life with zero likable characters and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The audiobook narration by the author was *chefs kiss*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Slavery, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, Vomit, Incest, Alcohol, Bullying, Excrement, Mental illness, and Murder

Minor: Cursing, Classism, Grief, and Animal cruelty