Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica

117 reviews

dark sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

cried

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dark emotional inspiring 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

Incredibly dark and traumatic, but also inspiring and beautifully written. LGBTQ+ friendly in the horror genre was a pleasant surprise. Not for those with weak stomachs. There were only a few recurring themes/comments that I felt weren’t properly tied together or revealed at the end.

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated

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challenging dark sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Kocham czytać historie o lesbijkach w postapokaliptycznym świecie, który trochę za bardzo przypomina przyszłość, ku której aktualnie zmierzamy <3

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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challenging dark slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I almost DNF'ed at 28% - in the end I'm glad I struggled through it but the beginning was too much for me. Strange writing style, splatterpunk (for the sake of it), and not much direction. Right around the 1/3 mark, there's a noticeable shift in the writing style, storyline, etc that made this finishable. In the end, I wish there was much more to this from the start than gore and violence, because then the second half (and especially the end) leaves little time for exploring the issues.

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I would advise against reading this review if you have not read the book. 

This is not a complaint, but I struggle to understand how this is rated as fast-paced. Maybe because its a novel under 200 pages, but barely anything occurs plot-wise until the last quarter of the book. 

I think this makes the authors slow-burn style incredibly rewarding. She spends a lot of time and effort detailing her worlds, fleshing out details that not only better help you understand the characters motivations but their flaws and character traits. Bazterica has mastered the art of writing a flawed main character. She displays the push and pull of selfishness vs selflessness, her works exploring what occur when either side wins out. 

The Unworthy, is quite the story. There is much to enjoy: human connection and passion, bravery and sacrifice. Not only sacrifice in the religious, cult sense, but true sacrifice in the form of dying so your beloved can be free.

I particularly have to say, I enjoy the way the author wrote queer romance. It felt real, it felt strong. People may accuse the author of the
bury your gays trope, but I strongly disagree and think that is missing the point of her death


My star review is not 5 stars, because I did not find it perfect. At time the story feels obfuscated by prose. Not sure if this is an issue with reading a translated version of this book. Though I know the author tends toward the poetic rather than clarity. Sometimes, you are left putting the puzzle pieces together for what would have benefited by clarity.

Also, I’m just not really connected to religion, so I guess I had a harder time connecting for the first little while. 

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

My absolute favorite kind of speculative fiction. A half lucid main character who has been through it, a cult, an oasis in a fallen world, and bugs. 
Check all the trigger warning friends this is a dark one, but absolutely worth the read if post apocalyptic spec fic with some religious trauma is your jam. 

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