Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - بيت الأرواح: رواية

Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

بيت الأرواح: رواية by Isabel Allende

55 reviews

milliminal's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This story is as wide as it is deep, spanning decades with a multitude of characters and storylines, intertwined with a family and a nation's history of revolution. The density of the writing and the sheer amount of trauma described in these pages make it a challenging read, but a worthwhile one. I leave feeling both sorrow and hope simultaneously, with an immense appreciation for the importance of recording our histories.

Content Warnings

laedyred's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark emotional 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: Complicated

I cannot figure out if I like this book or not. On one hand, I admire the attempt to show the strongest side of women and fully explain how we have to be better than men in society. Every male character in this book is disgusting, often making me want to put the book down for good. The nastiest things about men are told with no detail skirted around. The women in the story are complex enough to show their weaknesses to men while still being strong, but I couldn't help but be disappointed in them for allowing these men in their lives that act like living trash. Too much of the story is spent in this weird arc of "redemption" of the grandfather, who is a serial rapist, misogynist, and horrible human being. It made me sick to read about his acts and then somehow be expected to...forgive him? Like him? Just because he becomes "oh woe is me, my country fell apart". Guess what, you're part of the reason, you made people's lives awful. I don't know, maybe my rating will change after I ruminate on the book. But for now, I'm conflicted.

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amandadasso's review against another edition

4.0

Content Warnings

mightyoscura's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

amgarrido's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous emotional funny inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Content Warnings

skybluespines's review against another edition

3.75

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I really enjoyed this book, but it is slow. I felt like I was in it for the long haul. There's quite a bit of violence (with intention). To some extent, I may just not have been in the right head space for this book at this time. (I've been reading a lot of Latino and magical realism books lately, and I think I just need to shift into a different genre for a bit and come back to it.)

This follows a family in their day-to-day lives and interactions over the course of 3 generations. It is beautiful and skillfully written, as Allende is a master of her craft. It was just too long for me—although I don't know that her message would have come across as clearly had it been shorter. I think the end especially brought everything together masterfully. I didn't realize it was semi-autobiographical... I want to learn more about Allendes life now!

Content Warnings