Reviews tagging 'Violence'

When We Lost Our Heads by Heather O'Neill

13 reviews

elizad0324's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Sexism

Minor: Murder

ashleygreene03's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Murder, Transphobia, Animal death, Violence, Sexual assault, and Abortion

noel_k's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

It is a book one must give 4 stars because it is a beautifully grotesque atrocity, reminiscent of Nabokov. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Abortion, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Toxic relationship

jlye's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

I liked the themes of this book, but don’t want to give too much away in a review. I found the plot to be quite fast-paced until I got closer to the ending. The characters are deeply, deeply flawed, which made for an interesting story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexism, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, Murder, Transphobia, and Child death

jupiterbb's review

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Violence

camrich's review

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Murder, Sexual violence, Rape, Abortion, Animal death, and Dysphoria

Minor: Domestic abuse and Drug use

brighgreen's review

dark emotional reflective tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

Reading this, at times, felt like what I imagine being in an opium den feels like.
I didn’t like anyone but George. But then again, women don’t exist solely to be liked. Good book but I felt it was unnecessarily sexual, much like Sadie’s book, so maybe it was too much on purpose. It also felt important though I don’t know what I actually took away from it. But I did enjoy it. A little different than what I’ve been reading lately and I’m happy to branch out sometimes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Sexual violence, Violence, Suicide, Sexual content, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship

mmayern's review

challenging dark reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Abortion, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Death of parent, Classism, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Death, Rape, Violence, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Homophobia, Gun violence, Sexism, and Misogyny

siobhanward's review

reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I feel like I falter sometimes on O'Neill. I really did not like <i> The Lonely Hearts Hotel </i>, but I'm glad I wound up reading this one. O'Neill has a gift for writing women, and I appreciate that her women are not helpless. They may seem hopeless (and out of touch in this case) at times, but never entirely helpless. 

I loved the juxtaposition between Marie and Mary, I thought a lot of that plot was clever. 

I also do like that the characters kind of got what was coming to them, which doesn't often happen in these books. In a post-Trump world, it's nice that some times bad people meet bad endings or aren't forgiven for the shitty things they've done.

. I had a lot of fun with this one - I wish more of the setting had been explored, especially the anglo area of Montreal that the characters lived, but there was already a lot happening, so I get why it wasn't. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Rape

Moderate: Death

Minor: Death of parent

lindseyhall44's review

dark slow-paced

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

4.5

When we lost our heads is a story of love, obsession, desire, and class, as Marie Antoine and Sadie Arnet’s passionate relationship changes the fate of 19th century Montreal.
For fans of feminine rage novels with strong characters, I would highly highly recommend When We Lost Our Heads

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abortion, Abandonment, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Violence, and Self harm

Moderate: Bullying