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ju_harue's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Achei a escrita poderosamente bem narrada, mesclando entre uma visão infantil mais descritivamente "simples" e a complexidade das emoções e acontecimentos que vão impactando a vida e crescimento de Claudia. Com assuntos bem fortes, a vida acontecendo da perspectiva da criança é potente, os abismos presentes e pertinentes. Termino essa leitura com um misto de emoções, que vão de uma "coisa gostosa na barriga e o medo, a vontade de pular e de recuar".
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Suicide
shankarhere's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
muyteli's review
dark
tense
5.0
Eight-year-old Claudia is one of the most captivating narrators I've read in a while. Her descriptions are imaginative, often delightful and sometimes heartbreaking. She understands the lives of the adults around her far better than she gets credit for and broaches grown-up topics in a very matter-of-fact, yet revealing way.
Her fears about her parents — that there's a darkness to her father she doesn't know because he's always working and has little to say when he is around, and that her mother's depression will push her over the edge (literally) — are heightened when the family stays at a friend’s house in the mountains for a stretch of time.
That whole section of the book is dizzying in its descriptions of steep roads, dense fog and, of course, the cliff that gives way to the deep, dark abyss. Adding to the delirium is Claudia's deepened fixation on death and the dead as her feelings of isolation and fears about her parents build. I would recommend this book based on this section alone, but really the entire story is superbly crafted. I'll be thinking about Claudia for a long time.
Her fears about her parents — that there's a darkness to her father she doesn't know because he's always working and has little to say when he is around, and that her mother's depression will push her over the edge (literally) — are heightened when the family stays at a friend’s house in the mountains for a stretch of time.
That whole section of the book is dizzying in its descriptions of steep roads, dense fog and, of course, the cliff that gives way to the deep, dark abyss. Adding to the delirium is Claudia's deepened fixation on death and the dead as her feelings of isolation and fears about her parents build. I would recommend this book based on this section alone, but really the entire story is superbly crafted. I'll be thinking about Claudia for a long time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
anna_pardo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
M'ha agradat moltíssim. Ha estat molt interessant veure no només una crisi matrimonial, sinó una d'existencial, a través de la mirada d'una nena. Una nena que acaba construïnt el seu món a través de pèrdues, morts, silencis, absències i abismes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Car accident, Death, Alcohol, and Suicide
mirva's review
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This story is masterfully told entirely from the perspective of a young child. The writer captures the inner voice of a child incredibly well, while the world of the adults in the narrator's life is the focus of the story. It's a short, captivating read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
w0rmonastring's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, Car accident, and Suicidal thoughts
szeglin's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
internationalreads's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, Suicide, Car accident, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death of parent, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, and Mental illness
yorozuya's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Set in Colombia in the 1980s, this short novel focussed on a young girl, Claudia, and how she tries to make sense of her family's dynamics: The happy memories, their interactions with people in their small circle, the rifts and of course as the title indicates, the abysses. The central part of the abyss was brilliantly worked out, both in the literal and more metaphorical sense! I felt so bad for Claudia who has to deal with a mother who does not care enough and more serious issues as the novella continues. I got to read this work of fiction in Spanish, the original langaugesidekicksam's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
Abyss centers around Claudia, the eight year old daughter of Claudia and Jorge, who grows up in Cali, Colombia. She witnesses her mother’s affair with her sister-in-law’s husband, and when her father discovers the affair, she witnesses the slow break of her mother’s spirits, her parents’ marriage, and witnesses them slowly drift off towards the abyss.
Story-wise, this felt like another blow to the gut as it was like reading my own experience. Though I didn’t witness it myself, like Claudia did, what happened to her parents’ marriage also happened in my life, around the same age.
Perhaps that is why I connected to the story better than others who reviewed it, but I never felt the tone of voice was unbelievable for a girl of eight. Witnessing and experiencing something as raw and frightening as your mother’s descent into depression, as well as the crumbling of your parents’ marriage, makes you grow up faster.
Ultimately, I felt the ending was a bit too abrupt for my liking, but this short book is a stellar novella and well worth your time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death, and Infidelity