Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

194 reviews

rtherese's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Moshfegh made a list of all the horrible things imaginable. Then she made sure everything on that list was in this book.

‼️Read TWs before you read this one, I think if you are in a vulnerable mental state you should probably wait until you feel better to consider reading this. I had to take a long break halfway through because it was super heavy

Lapvona is a nihilistic exploration of religion and faith. The setting is very immersive, and the flaws of the characters make them very interesting. But

there is no point to the story. If there was, it would be that there is no point. There is no good or bad. There is no right way to be faithful. There are no rewards for your suffering, nor are there consequences for your misdeeds. Life in little Lapvona just keeps going.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Incest, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, and Fire/Fire injury

erikaraz's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

zabz0013's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

aviary'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? 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Abortion, and Classism

jade_smith's review against another edition

dark slow-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

4.5

Every character was so deeply unlikeable and it this book was incredibly disgusting. I loved it. 

This was my first Ottessa Moshfegh book and I’ll be running to pick up the rest of her catalogue. 

Darkly absurd and almost fairytale-esque in its depiction of greed and human perversion, Lapvona is half pseudo-historical fiction and half a horror comedy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Infertility, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Alcohol

books_and_sea_salt's review against another edition

It's just too much. The absurd and disgusting details can be valuable or even a niche, but this was just so over the top. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

charprid'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

charlisaurus's review against another edition

4.5

i love this book and how everyone is a complete freak show <3 please read content warnings

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

lizzymcalpine's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective fast-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

3.75

mixed feelings with this one. kinda feel like the plot was lost about 3/4 of the way through the book, but at the same time the ending felt predetermined. 
so much to explore and reflect on about the exploitation of the poor and women, about morality and its role in religion, religious justification, governmental neglect. definitely a thinker book, but left me wanting closure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Self harm, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

halfdozen's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book feels like the Bible, 100 years of solitude and the Prince had a very strange child. The themes that came out strongest for me were: power, making sense of the world, and cycles. 

It is a disturbing and uncomfortable book in many ways, but I appreciate the commitment to the symbolism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Death, Gore, Rape, and Death of parent