Reviews tagging 'Torture'

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

12 reviews

taylormccoy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Cursing, Medical content, Self harm, and Sexual harassment

cb1984's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Read for book club. Pretty sure I'd read it before, but with the film confusing things it's a bit hard to remember! 

It's clearly a great book. There's a reason it's a classic. I guess I felt like the impact was a bit lessened with the plot being so familiar. It'll probably be a good one for book club discussion though.

I was going to say that there were elements that haven't aged well (the constant casual racism), but in some ways that actually helps develop some of the characters really well, in that it reveals some of their inner horribleness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Bullying, Torture, and Suicide

reading_moth's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Torture

Moderate: Suicide and Racial slurs

greenan26's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Torture

Moderate: Suicide and Homophobia

sunflowerhour's review against another edition

challenging mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

Moderate: Outing, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual harassment, Torture, Terminal illness, and Sexual violence

isirla's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This book. This book made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me so angry. And it made me feel peaceful at times. Some parts didn't age well. But I could see past it. After seeing the movie starring a young Jack Nicholson at least three times, I knew I needed the experience the book could bring. And it didn't disappoint!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Suicide, Confinement, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Misogyny, Drug use, Racism, Death, Dementia, and Incest

zoinkie's review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Torture, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Violence, Death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Racial slurs

lizkocher's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Violence, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Medical content, Suicide, Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, Abandonment, Hate crime, Bullying, Child abuse, Alcohol, Sexism, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, and War

shoshin's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad fast-paced

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

3.5

Enjoyable, but loses points for racism, ableism, and misogyny. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Ableism, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide, Sexual content, Self harm, and Sexual violence

c3liaiswhoiam's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.0

I ended up really enjoying this reading experience, which was a relief upon the disaster that was Catch-22. 
Kesey is great at making the characters feel both vividly realistic and caricature-like at the same time. They're incredibly enjoyable characters and they play off each other really well. Having the story told from someone who essentially is a fly on the wall, but literally is within the story is clever. The story feels less subjective and very observative in that way even though it actually isn't. Following McMurphy's storyline and how he affects the others is also a joy all the way through, and the only time that lags is when McMurphy himself has a temporary change of heart halfway through. 
It was an interesting, thoughtful, and enjoyable read that had to something to say about authority figures and how easily we trust (and betray) others.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicide, Death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Torture, Alcoholism, and Forced institutionalization