Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

81 reviews

regen20's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. The middle has me hooked, but the ending felt like it left something out. An interesting description of middle age.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol and Infidelity

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

cicimaee's review against another edition

dark funny relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury

savvylit's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

The plot of this novel is delightful. An obsession slowly builds and builds until it explodes into deranged decisions. Well-executed and well-paced.
What I think Jonas does best, however, is characterization.

The narrator of Vladimir remains nameless throughout this novel. This authorial choice seems like the perfect reflection of what we readers come to know about our narrator: she hates herself and also fears being insignificant and forgotten. She's obsessed with nitpicking her aging physical body and 'controlling' her weight. Beyond that painful-to-read self-abasement, she also harshly judges everyone else. Page after page, the narrator insults her students, colleagues, family members, and even strangers. This constant judgment combined with her many escapist fantasies (usually including Vladimir) all add up to paint a portrait of a deeply insecure, discontent, and bitter woman.
And yet, Jonas has managed to make this unlikeable narrator's story both fascinating and sympathetic. I couldn't put it down.

If you're a fan of novels with unhinged/unlikeable female protagonists, you'll enjoy this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, and Body shaming

booknerdxo88's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, and Addiction

Drugging

milesofkiles's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction

sderrig's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

itisnatal's review against another edition

challenging 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Suicide

Moderate: Body shaming and Drug use

hannakutlu's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury

frantically's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-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

4.5

This is such an interesting and varied perspective on issues such as consent, age gap and power dynamics. It's from a perspective we often don't think or hear about — the wife of the man who's accused of abusing his power. I would've given this 5 stars but the ending didn't really fit the narrative for me. Would still absolutely recommend! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Infidelity

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, and Drug abuse

Minor: Pregnancy

hajarfoundi's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Mental illness, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, and Drug use