Reviews tagging 'Cannibalism'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

598 reviews

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.

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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. 

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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

bloodflood'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, and Cannibalism

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. 

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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

catherinebaker's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Cannibalism

hanner_stritch's review against another edition

dark mysterious

• 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Cannibalism

gbmillar2002's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.75

Disgustingly grotesque, it is an amazing deep dive within a English medieval village and its intersection between religion, feudalism and the perverse nature of what is denied. It is amazing, I haven’t had a book that had made me say WTF out loud before.

For example when they talk about the old woman breastfeeding marrick even though he is 13, combine this with his own freudian sexual
Behaviours it is bizarre

. Highly recommend for those who want a book that is out there, intense and graphic. Give it a skip if intense and taboo topics make you uncomfortable as moshfegh describes these issues in albeit ye olde English, in intense detail. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

domproc's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Cannibalism, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicide

lopez27sergio's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

2.75

Gave me many mixed emotions on the main characters and story. Hard to find a character you support 100% which is nice since it shows everyone with flaws and not being perfect. Also really enjoyed the twisted views on religion from multiple perspectives and how it shapes their lives.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

tiwwy's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Incest, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Animal death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Abortion

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Blood, and Murder