Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

199 reviews

charismae_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

For the first book I have ever read of Otessa Moshfegh, I did enjoy it. Lapvona is a tale where nothing good happens and all the characters are truly rotten. A strange part of me admires series that are capable of writing an unlikeable and unforgivable cast with no redeeming qualities and Lapvona is exactly that. Every character in this book filled me with a sense of dread, bewilderment, anger, and discomfort. 

There is no resolution from the complete bleakness of this book from start to finish. It is so grotesque and morbid that after the last page, it is like the book's contents had seeped into my skin. 
 Nearing the end, it does lose its edge and just feels like a concoction of shock value paraphernalia which I grew quite bored of. As the story progressed, I felt like there wasn't much direction besides the concept of "horrible people doing horrible things to each other or in general" 

However, I did enjoy the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt

friedathurman's review against another edition

challenging dark tense 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

2.5

The writing was okay. Some of the graphic subject matter was just not at all my cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Abortion, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jessiekind_'s review against another edition

dark

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Incest, Rape, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Cannibalism

yogomagpie's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

5.0

I’m surprised I loved this as much as I did. It was not an easy read, as a lot of it was disgusting and vile (as expected). I had to take a couple breaks after two super graphic scenes. But Moshfegh captures the flaws of humanity in a strange, fever dream-like way that I can't get enough of. There are so many themes to think about (religion, sin, family, class, life, death, etc etc). I hated pretty much every character, which seems to be a recurring trait of Moshfegh’s writing. I would say, though, that Ina is my favorite character. Her backstory and her connections and involvement across Lapvona and the manor were the most interesting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Cannibalism, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Sexism, Suicide, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Ableism and Body shaming

julesh28's review against another edition

challenging dark funny medium-paced

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

2.75

wtf?? ich weiß nicht, was ich davon halte. 
ig es ist gut, dass mich das buch emotionen fühlen lässt (disgust, discomfort, verwirrung). jedoch bin ich mir noch nicht sicher, was ich nach diesem read mitnehme. 
es war auf jeden fall ein fiebertraum. wenn "die verwandlung" und "lapvona" auf einem fiebertraum spektrum wären, wären sie auf zwei verschiedenen enden des spektrums, soviel sei gesagt.
i hated to read it but at the same time i couldn't stop reading it. i would not recommend or would i?? 
naja ich glaube, ich muss mich erstmal sortieren, sachen einordnen und es in einem halben jahr nochmal lesen. 
es war schon spannend ig. und auf jedenfall sehr comedy dafür, dass alle miserable waren. oder vielleicht gerade deswegen.

(nachtrag: alter, die content warnings reflecten super, was für ein fiebertraum dieses buch ist lmao)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cannibalism, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

criscroscris's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

ckopack's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.0

This book was billed as very disturbing and dark, and there definitely are very disturbing scenes, but it’s very compelling and absolutely pulls you in. It’s a very good book but dear God, please read the trigger warnings before you read this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and Abandonment

smacey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

 4.50/5.00

Ottessa Moshfegh does it again. I love this author so much, and it is wild how different this story is from My Year of Rest and Relaxation yet how similarly amazing it somehow is.

Stories set in medieval times are far from my usual read, but this was still an incredible and fascinating book. The comparisons you can make between the themes in Lapvona and modern-day religion, capitalism, social status, class, education, sex, gender, and so much more is jarring. Extremely well-done.

I will say though that I both loved and hated the main character in MYRR but mostly just hated all of the main characters in Lapvona (particularly Marek - that boy is so fucking stupid, I'm so sorry). I did, however, love Agata. Queen.

Also, the ending was genius and the perfect way to wrap up the story. Love. 10/10 recommend. Can't wait to read Eileeeeeeeeeeeeen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

sarahherm's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I hope you like trauma. Because you’re going to get some.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

ajoshi21's review against another edition

fast-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

1.0

This book was terrible. Any interesting thing it had to say was ruined by its purposeless need to shock and disgust. The author indulges every single taboo subject she can until the whole book is nothing but a slog of reading about horrible, disgusting people doing horrible disgusting things. If it was an attempt to examine “the dark side of humanity,” it failed completely.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism