Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

273 reviews

v333spertine's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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, Grief, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Classism, Incest, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Death, Body horror, Violence, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Gore, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Pedophilia, Rape, Cannibalism, and Excrement

Moderate: Self harm

minayana's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

This was so compelling and well written while also being one of the most disturbing books I’ve ever read. Please do yourself a favor and check the trigger warnings before reading! There are so many horrific and horrendous things that happen in this book, and I’ve seen a lot of reviews that feel that they happen just for shock value. I would disagree, I definitely think that the author goes overboard at times, but all the events in the book serve the message of the story. How the rich take advantage of the poor, women’s oppression-being tied down to men and motherhood, how religion is used to suppress the wants and feelings of the underprivileged and make them accepting of their own suffering. I wasn’t able to put this book down during the first half, but I do feel like the ending was a little rushed. Overall, I think it’s a great book but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. It’s definitely not for everybody!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cannibalism, Body horror, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Child abuse, Ableism, Rape, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Violence

Moderate: Pedophilia, Abandonment, and Abortion

saintesasha's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Such a thrilling and gripping read, but it definitely will not be for everybody. Moshfegh skillfully conveys the horrors of medieval life while leaning into mysticism and the influence of religion, sexuality, and the taboo. I devoured this in less than 24 hours - I found myself shocked yet riveted by the complex characters. Moshfegh richly describes the town and citizens of Lapvona, and it only took a few pages to become fully immersed in her descriptions of the world Jude, Marek and Villiam inhabit. The reflections of the meaning of religion and how religion is used to manipulate but also provide hope for those who suffer was very interesting and navigated in an interesting way. 

This novel was very refreshing and I personally loved reading such a depraved novel that teeters between a thriller, fantasy and horror novel! This book is probably best suited to those who can cope with confronting and long passages about violence/sexual assault and content. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Suicide, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Blood, Rape, Cannibalism, Incest, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Murder, and Vomit

reading_112's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Murder, Sexual content, Animal death, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Drug use, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Body horror, Death, Child abuse, Cursing, Child death, Grief, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

ameliethemoomin's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

don't read this book while eating food it made me feel so incredibly sick ms moshfegh you are amazing and this was a deeply horrible book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Murder, Violence, Suicide, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pedophilia, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Incest

kcakes719's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

Opening with that Demi Lovato quote was like a punch in the gut.

I think I might be severely desensitized because this book didn’t gross me out in the way others have described. It certainly has moments where I can see why someone would be disturbed though. This is a medieval slice of life with zero likable characters and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The audiobook narration by the author was *chefs kiss*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Slavery, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Abortion, Vomit, Incest, Alcohol, Bullying, Excrement, Mental illness, and Murder

Minor: Cursing, Classism, Grief, and Animal cruelty

caitlynholl's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, and Body horror

Moderate: Violence, Gore, Self harm, Incest, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Rape

saint_eleanor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Ok sorry everyone but i actually love this book so much. 
Opening with a demi lovato quote is craaaazy, especially because of what followed. This was so bleak and upsetting and so complicated and complex even though the writing and story were so straight forward. It felt so incredibly haunted even though there was no supernaturalness, just madness. 

I'm so curious to know what people thought of the fact that the servants seemed to be worshipping a completely different deity the whole time, and also what it meant at the end when ina 'put god' into grigor. Assuming that ina killed Agata by slowly poisoning her with tansy, but still kind of uncertain how she got younger (maybe just eats more) and why all of a sudden she cares about god. 

This book is kind of abt love in the time of capitalism 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Violence, Suicide, Animal death, Self harm, and Child death

Moderate: Excrement

iron stomachs only.

studydniowka's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated

3.0

No i przeczytałam „Lapvonę”, ale niestety nie jestem do niej przekonana. Nie czułam w ogóle tej konwencji baśni i trudno było mi się przez nią przegryźć. Czekam jednak na spotkanie wokół książki.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Self harm, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Cannibalism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Body horror, Incest, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Violence

alex_nicolee's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Animal death, Classism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, and Sexual content