Reviews

Nefando by Mónica Ojeda

maddykris's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

breaba's review

dark reflective tense slow-paced

3.0

mxss_winterfell's review

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

I feel it is one I will have to revisit having now read the whole book and the translation notes, but I'm not in a hurry to delve into these topics again. The true brutality of humans and humanity was reflected in Nefando.

steph_phanie's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Excrement, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Incest, Dysphoria, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual content, Animal death, and Child abuse

zeldabruh's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

micardila's review

challenging dark

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

Thematically, this book explores the power of controlling our own narrative, ethical curiosity and rebellion, the tension being body and mind (material and immaterial experience), and how stories can help reveal or test our natures.

This book is easier to read/digest when approached from a lens of cultural and moral study. While there is a point driving the story forward, the mystery plot is more of a catalyst than the point of the novel. The novel suffers from not having a driving plot. It's structure of various POVs keeps the story from ever really taking its full form.

There are trigger warnings for this book: sexual abuse, pedophilia, rape, self harm, to name a few. Some of these are told from first person POV, so it will test your experience....which I think is kind of the point. Once I figured this out, I tended to skim these parts or skip altogether. And that's okay! Again, the book is exploring these ethical and personal themes around these subjects, and I think it's a good sign if you are disgusted and want to skim/skip. 

I'm still thinking about the themes and content matter and whether the shock value is successful in delivering it. I think to some extent yes because it is the reader experience during these scenes that the book is commenting on...the fact that many of these happen during the metafiction is further proof of that.

Anyway, this was challenging and one of the first books I ever had to put down for a bit before coming back to. I wouldn't say it was an enjoyable read. It did, however, get me thinking about certain topics/themes and our role in them, so for that I give it 2 stars reflecting my experience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Incest, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Excrement, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Suicide and Animal cruelty

hannahglass's review

Blahhhhhh. I see what the author is going for, but this is less horror and more abuse/torture porn. Pass :/

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Self harm, Rape, Incest, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Animal death, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Body horror, and Adult/minor relationship

ghoulgalpal's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

becks_bookshelf's review

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.5

ryanwhitley's review

challenging dark slow-paced

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

1.0

I feel bamboozled. This book was not really what it was advertised to be in the synopsis. That synopsis sounded great; what I read was not. And, at the risk of sounding prudish, it was pretty disgusting. This may be up your alley if you’re in to a lot of taboo/boundary breaking and not really into plot or character development, or indeed, a narrative thread that can be followed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Transphobia, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Violence, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Incest, Gore, Torture, Sexual assault, and Rape