Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Yo que nunca supe de los hombres by Jacqueline Harpman

31 reviews

196books's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Blood and Cancer

Minor: Terminal illness

kates_cupcakes's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

Bleak and dense, emotional at the ending and almost rips your heart out. I wanted there to be to read. You start to question at the end how she knows all the information she does. It was hard to get through this book simply because it’s dense with a lot of world building and not a lot of dialogue. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Medical content, Confinement, Suicide, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail

itsybitsygingie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.5

This was an incredibly difficult yet beautiful book to read. It brought forth some incredibly difficult feelings concerning being human and the role of womanhood within society. My one slight of the book was the sheer amount of anti-female sentiments from the main character. Her one consistent thought throughout the book was that she was better because she wasn’t constrained by the supposedly womanly traits of the other characters, and I didn’t see as much growth as I would liked concerning this position. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Pandemic/Epidemic, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Genocide, Violence, Murder, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

imaggienary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gaslighting, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Physical abuse, and Murder

triseke's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Forced institutionalization

sldccc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Murder, Death, Torture, Violence, Mental illness, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Grief, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse

hollydrinkscoffee's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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? No

4.0

A really thought provoking book. I have found myself thinking about the main character and their plight often. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide, Death, and Confinement

Minor: Murder

hotdogshit's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Suicide, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Cancer

caroisreading's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I started this book without reading any spoilers, or even the introduction. I wouldn't even know this was science fiction -- it could be any time period, agnostic of technology other than electricity.

I read this in half a day. I give so much credit to the translator, though all the credit is due to Jacqueline Harpman for this beautiful, morose, bare, unique story. 

This is a story on an undefined war, humanity, and women surviving. It contemplates the meaning of life. It is plain in how it describes each step of survival, and we see through the eyes of a protagonist who is like a blank page - void of our version of the human experience. I rooted for her, and mourned for her. 

You'll love this if you like thought-provoking reads, darker stories about humanity, and the bond among women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Infertility, Cancer, and Chronic illness

michelleshinee's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Confinement, Suicide, Death, Medical trauma, and Forced institutionalization