Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

358 reviews

shoujopetal's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault

adv_nduku's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Ableism and Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault

hunterpatersonn_'s review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Blood, Medical trauma, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

hick's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Abortion, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Excrement and Fire/Fire injury

lanamackreads's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

sneakybeaky's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

Really hard to review this. In theory I like the themes it grapples with; how those in power keep the oppressed blind to their oppression; how the oppressed blame their suffering and anger on a perceived 'other' rather than their oppressors; how the powerful are themselves blind to their own stupidity, incompetence and callousness. However, it feels like it's grip is loose. It dips in to these questions at a surface level and I'm left wondering what the point it's trying to make is, beyond the fact that these power structures exist. It's also an extremely cruel and gruesome book in tone, sometimes excessively so, and I'm not sure it serves the story particularly well. Overall I'm not entirely sure what to feel which perhaps speaks volumes. My rating might change on reflection.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, and Cannibalism

leolai's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Disgusting, disturbing and vile and I liked it. This is satire on religion and power and it was brilliant. Lapvona is unapologetic tale about religion's dark corners, showing abuse, patriarchy/misogyny, human stupidity and hypocrisy in piousness. How death is more important than life we are living now. Suffering is a virtue and everyone feels superior to everybody else, justified in their hatred and selfishness. This book is easy to understand but hard to read because it's so dark. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Vomit, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

yulimaru's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

all the bad reviews made me want to read this. so thanks for that. i really enjoyed it. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child death, Death, Incest, Rape, Blood, Cannibalism, Abortion, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Confinement, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, and Religious bigotry

maddieasy's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.25

This was the strangest book I have ever read and I'm not quite sure how to rate it. Moshfegh's story is bleak and I never knew where she was going to take it next. Moreover, Lapvona was so distinct in my mind which is a testamony of Moshfegh's craftmanship of the novel. That said, I'm not sure I would recommend this book to a friend. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Abandonment

cydney's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

The author’s ability to write in a way that makes you feel gross (like you need to wash your hands or brush your teeth), is unfortunately wasted in this book. I pushed through to the end hoping the gratuitous graphic descriptions and situations would lead to some sort of end that was just as elaborate or maybe even provide a reprieve by way of a satisfying ending, but I was left disappointed and annoyed. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion