Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Sympathiser by Viet Thanh Nguyen

82 reviews

jmcampbell57's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Xenophobia, Torture, Death, and Murder

Moderate: War and Racism

amberck's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, and Murder

regenherz's review against another edition

dark funny sad medium-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, Sexual assault, Violence, War, Confinement, and Rape

ciarrareads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

4.0

A tense spy novel with searing political and cultural commentary that brings light to a side of the Vietnam (or American, depending on where you are from) War that is not normally seen. The story is dense, and at times chaotic and frustrating, but there are also so many important and eye-opening criticisms and ideas to take away. Point blank, it's just so important to consume art from the point of view of people who are not a dominant power. One criticism I'll make is that men... just love to write about women in a certain way... and I'll just leave it at that lol. I understand why some of the character's had to be the way that they did, but there's a running theme with all the women, even the protagonist's mother, that just didn't really need to be there for ALL of them in my opinion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, and War

hopscotchreads's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

As a wasian/hapa myself, this hit close to home. I still think about my favorite quotes. Lots of important conversations here. But some of the writing is pointlessly verbose and there's a men-writing-women feel that is super annoying sometimes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Murder, Death, Torture, Violence, Racism, War, and Rape

Moderate: Colonisation, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Animal cruelty

crystaljohnsonb's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective tense

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Torture, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Rape, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

naomiestaller's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny tense 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

An important read for understanding the American/Vietnam war and the tension between democracy, authoritarianism, and what happens when revolutions succeed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, Torture, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, War, and Murder

iellv's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Again I wish I had profound things to say about extremely important books. But here we are. It took me forever to finish reading The Sympathizer, but that’s because I always prefer to consume satire through film and TV. Just read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, Rape, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Violence, Fatphobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

drewfead's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Colonisation, Torture, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Vomit, Xenophobia, Murder, Blood, Confinement, and Suicidal thoughts

addierr's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Torture, Murder, Violence, and War