Reviews tagging 'Violence'

La Fruta del Borrachero by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

16 reviews

dreamingandendless's review

dark emotional reflective 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

A flash from the past. I was born after the time the book describes but every Colombian my age knows of the 80s and 90s. Guerrilla and Narcos and assassinations and car bombs and kidnappings. 
The book captures Colombians' relationship with violence. An eternal Civil war with changing factions that have left millions upon millions without a home. The narrator is a child which is by far the best way to try and explain to people how it was, how it feels the first time you turn on the news and something horrible happened near to you. 
Written from a priveledged perspective, it is nonetheless powerful and emotionally charged. The book hits very close to home, since I too left Colombia for more hopeful horizons. The protagonist's older sister acts pretty much as I have these last year's in expatriation, trying to forget, trying to excel and overcome. The feeling of smallness you have. People don't understand where you've come from. 

I am distraught. The writing is very good and I don't know if I can say anything too damning of the book. Unsure what non-colombian US/European audiences will get out of this book. Some sick sense of voyeuristic smugness? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child death, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Drug abuse

abbasaurusrex's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, Drug use, Kidnapping, Child death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Classism and Death

aduran037's review

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Rape, Child death, Death, Kidnapping, War, Suicide attempt, Racism, and Violence

rachelita's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Rape, and Violence

megansoetaert's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

the author did an incredible job at portraying chula’s age throughout the book. you really only know what she knew, which felt frustrating at times as a reader but really carried what rojas contreras wanted to do. the compression of space and time during traumatic moments reinforced how the human mind can just go blank. 

petrona and chula show two very different experiences in 80s and 90s colombia & i felt like i learned a lot from this book, but didn’t feel huge emotional connections to any of the characters

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Violence

moniipeters's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Blood, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Medical content, Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Trafficking, Violence, War, Addiction, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Torture

bookishbeccahale's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Kidnapping, and Violence

Moderate: Rape

whimsicalish's review against another edition

informative sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I cannot imagine living through the hardships and terrifying reality described here. Thank you for sharing your story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Gore

Minor: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

henrye's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious relaxing sad tense fast-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? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Drug use, Drug abuse, Rape, Murder, Violence, Child death, Pregnancy, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, and Gore

lwl000's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

I found this book to be a refreshing new perspective on the oft told, dramatized story of Pablo Escobar. Layering these stories against the backdrop of his reign in Colombia was aching, heartbreaking, inspiring. I profoundly appreciated what I learned about what was suffered and lost by the Colombian people, and the events that spur the immigrant experience. This book is beautifully poetic and complex. 4.5 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Drug abuse

Minor: Infidelity