Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

96 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

---

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

sherenreads's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.5

To cut it short, I‘m pretty sure a character in the book said “there’s no virtue in suffering” and that’s all you need to know about this book. 

If you however are a masochist, do go ahead and read the grossest 300 pages you’ll ever have read.

I wanted to quit at least twice. I’m sure you know the disturbing movies iceberg meme. This book belongs there somewhere in the middle. When I was done, I wanted to shower and scrub my eyes and brain in hopes that I can forget what I just read. I’m 99% sure my brain will push the memory of this book far away and if I’m lucky I’ll just forget most of it. 

It was so gross, and for what? I barely found meaning in it all. A little bit, yes, but the rest? It felt like a book that’s gross for the sake of being gross.

I read in another review that someone said maybe this was Moshfegh’s answer to critics who’ve criticized her because apparently everything she writes is meaningless and weird and gross and maybe this one was supposed to be a f*ck you to those critics. If that was her point, she did an amazing job. 

I wish I could talk to Moshfegh and ask her why, just why. I’d also love to look into her brain and find out what goes on in there and if she’s mentally alright.

This was also the first book by Moshfegh I’ve ever read, because they didn’t have my year of rest and relaxation available. I’m sure that’s on me.
I also wanted something spooky and weird for Halloween. This was so much worse. I wish I’d watched the exorcism or something instead. Funnily enough it reminded me of movies by people like von Trier and Vinterberg. Maybe I just didn’t understand it, I don’t know

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Animal cruelty, Death, Cannibalism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Rape, and Excrement

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Vomit, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

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

---

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

---

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

nicoleanthony's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Classism, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Vomit, Suicide, Violence, Rape, Abandonment, Ableism, and Child death

historybabe's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.0

Where do I even begin..... Honestly, I have never had to put down a book so many times in my life. I was shocked by the sheer depravity within its pages. If you can imagine a sin, it is in this novel. If you want to be sick to your stomach by all means, read it. I'm going to go take a hot bath in bleach and read my Bible. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Child death, Death, Gore, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Cursing, Pregnancy, Violence, and Vomit

twelvekindsoftrouble's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

3.5

I enjoyed this only sometimes. The writing and characters were often difficult to connect with, and I guess this just wasn’t my kind of weird. Could have been worse though; the plot and setting were really unique. Also Grigor rules.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, Abortion, Pedophilia, Sexism, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Vomit, Animal death, Blood, Excrement, and Gore

sheshallbenamed's review against another edition

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Suicide, Torture, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Incest, Child death, and Cannibalism

ariesrae's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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

3.5

if you liked the movie “The VVitch” you’ll enjoy this book. it’s dark and very freudian but if you’re looking for something unique and ooky, it’s solid. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Rape, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, and Death

emacmillan's review against another edition

Too graphic 🤢

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Ableism, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Torture, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Body horror, Self harm, Pregnancy, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Classism, Vomit, Child death, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Mental illness, Incest, Gore, Grief, Excrement, and Emotional abuse