Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

335 reviews

elicatking's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-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

2.25


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directorpurry's review against another edition

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

4.0


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jojotimber's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious 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

4.5


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seawiiitch's review against another edition

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dark 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

I admit I picked this book on a whim, mostly because the cover was pretty and I felt like trying something “different”. And so I went in completely blind.

Let’s just say that quickly enough, my jaw was on a floor in utter shock and slight horror. Multiple times, I had to go back and read sentences one more time just to be sure I hadn’t (somehow) made up the words I just read.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad book, but rather a disturbing one. The only sane (and I’m being very generous with the term) character in this, and that I actually liked, was the old man Grigor. The rest of the cast easily represent what can go wrong in human beings or just how easily people can excuse their misconduct or wrongdoings.


  • Marek is the product of constant abuse, even though some are disguised as affection (I’m looking at you Ina) who distort religion to comply with what he believes in.
  • Jude, his father, is just as bad and probably the one who really disturbed me once we reached
    the subject of Marek’s mother
    . I had to put my book down multiple times because of him.
  • William is infantile, using the excuse of entertaining himself to abuse his staff or village. He uses religion and fear as tools to control the habitants of Lapvona
    .
  • Ina, who if you read the book, really can make you feel disgusted with how she acts with Marek, Jude, etc…
  • Marek’s mother, “Agatha”: is maybe the only one who made me feel bad about what happened to her. From the beginning till the end, she is a tool for the men around her, suffering abuse every time she tries to escape her situation. Even at the end, she is used by Ina to full-fill the old woman’s wishes.
  • Grigor: as stated earlier, might be only true sane person in the entirety of the novel. While gruff, he is not cruel or violent. He does not uses religion as a weapon but tries to help his people. Even though he is far from perfection, he might be the only one close to it in this novel.

If I’m honest, I do not think the plot truly went anywhere. This is just about people and how bad they can to themselves and each other, about how easy it is for humans to be cruel. 

As I stated, not a bad book. But it is not for everyone and it wasn’t for me, despite my rating. I will probably never read it again (unless I want to see if my review would be the same).

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catladypotato's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Loveable characters? No

3.0

I beg your finest fucking pardon?

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wrebecca's review against another edition

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

3.0


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gatocario's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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erikaraz's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0


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zabz0013's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Spend through it to not linger on the horrors of this book, The Great type energy but much more graphic and GoT level sex. Definitely gives you something to chew on

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aviary's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

4.0

read 12/19/24

read this because my friend recommended it to me. texted her halfway through asking why the hell she recommended it to me, and she said she hadn't gotten far in it yet LOL. very wild content, but the way the author presents the society and the strong flaws within the society was really interesting and intense. 

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