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virginwhocantdrive22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Body horror, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Abortion, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Rape, Torture, and Car accident
nadia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Certain repeated behaviours from some of the main characters, and how they were relayed to the reader, did make for uncomfortable reading now and again, but then Allende's choices in which perspectives the story was told from do leave the reader conflicted about what to really think or feel.
Overall, a wonderfully told story which memorable protagonists!
Graphic: Rape, Torture, Violence, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abortion
menomica's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
PS: El peor personaje de todo este libro es sin duda, Esteban Trueba. La mejor fue Clara Del Valle
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, and War
Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Pregnancy
Minor: Ableism, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Miscarriage, Vomit, Stalking, Car accident, and Lesbophobia
elliej's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
Graphic: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Abortion, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, and Sexism
lanid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, and Grief
rieviolet's review against another edition
- 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
I have to say that it's been a long time since I've despised a character as much as Esteban Trueba and I cannot emphasise enough how much I disliked the sections with him as a narrator. I listened to the audiobook and I think that I managed to finish the book only because I really liked the voice actress, otherwise I would have given up after the umpteenth of his capitalist rants or descriptions of his male prowess and insatiable desires, they made me want to scream.
I liked much better the final chapters that focused more on the social and political commentary and also the epilogue with Alba as narrator (honestly I would have preferred her as the main point of view).
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Suicide, Antisemitism, Stalking, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
chrisljm's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Abortion
minxtte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
clarabooksit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Police brutality, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Antisemitism and Abandonment
veronicachp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
The male lead, Esteban, is revealed to be a /bad/ man within the first 100 pages and a shallow summary of this book is him doing /bad/ things for almost 500 pages while everyone else just kind of shrugs and lets him get away with it. And I understand that it's meant to be a broad overarching story about him digging his own grave, but even in the climax, it's not Esteban who truly faces the consequences of his actions, but his poor granddaughter, Alba. His taking what happens to her so personally is just another way he assumes ownership of every single other character in the novel, particularly the female ones. They're reduced to hollow, often infantilized shells of people who float along seemingly indifferent to all the bad things he's done, silently bearing whatever punishment he chooses to award. I struggle to real stories where people could leave their abusive relatives and decaying homes but choose not to for reasons that are never really explained, and this story falls pretty solidly into those margins.
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Rape, Torture, Violence, and Abortion
Minor: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, and Vomit