Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

55 reviews

eemily's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Animal death, Child death, Self harm, Gore, Emotional abuse, Rape, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Miscarriage, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Infertility, Fire/Fire injury, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcoholism, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Body shaming, and Blood

miarae22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

grotesque and jarring

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Cannibalism, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

This book is difficult to read at times. It is interesting to be sure but I would approach it with caution if graphic content makes you uncomfortable

evantmellon's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Blood, Body horror, Murder, Misogyny, Classism, Death, Child abuse, Child death, Animal death, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Sexism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Abortion, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Domestic abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

hlb2023's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Child death, Death, Excrement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, Child abuse, and Violence

rebekahmm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I loved the WRITING in this book, but hated everything that happened. Every character is deeply flawed, yet written so well you know exactly why someone does or says something. Vivid, fleshed-out characters drive this story in a little medieval village. Everyone is either bad or awful, but they all have their reasons. The fantastic writing is the only reason I finished this book. Would not recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Death, and Violence

gabburrit0's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

2.5

this book (like the other books I've read by Moshfegh) leave me with the same feelings of confusion and uncomfortability.

why was there so much child abuse mentioned throughout the story? on multiple, absolutely awful levels? was this book a criticism of the human condition at it's very worst? was Villiam a satirical presentation of those in power? what was Ina's whole deal? and why was Marek the central character that we kept going back to?

also what the hell even was Marek's purpose throughout the whole book besides being beaten and made fun of and then eventually a murderer?

not really my cup of tea but I can say that I gave Moshfegh another shot

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Murder, Child abuse, Self harm, Rape, Physical abuse, Death, Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

captainyaht's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Child death, and Suicide

Minor: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Infidelity, and Murder

bellepierson's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Gore, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal death, Cannibalism, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Rape

Minor: Abortion

nith's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Rape, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Death, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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

3.0

I don’t know if I’ve been lied to, or if I’ve just read a lot of fucked up stuff, but this wasn’t as messed up as I’d thought it would be. It was just kind of weird.

I didn’t dislike it, the writing is beautiful, but I do wonder what the point of it all is. 

I loved all the religious references, marek and Jacob, Jude (Judas), etc etc, but something fell flat for me. I think overall the story is good, but it’s missing something. I think Marek could have been focused on more, as well as Lapvona as a place.

That being said I love the cyclical nature of the storyline, and I liked how I was sympathetic for certain characters and then it would slap me in the face with something horrible they’ve done and I’d be like “wow fuck that”.

Ultimately, I believe this is a story of a boy so starved of love and for a mother that he will search for it anywhere. Whether in punishment or in false love, eventually trying to force people to love him.

Lispeth deserved the world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, and Rape

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Animal death, and Murder

Minor: Miscarriage, Incest, Toxic relationship, and Body horror