Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

213 reviews

bexgil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

geminireader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A deeply challenging, disturbing novel. Undoubtedly worth the read. I don’t think I need to delve into it more; the synopsis perfectly covers what is about and how thought-provoking it is. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Death, Sexism, Violence, Abandonment, and Misogyny

emiliegrace's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow what a truly poignantly heavy read. Kukafka expertly navigates the telling of Ansel’s story through the eyes of the women so deeply affected by his actions and the age old discussion of good vs evil - all while casting a scrutinizing glance at the American justice system. The women become the main characters in what would otherwise be another true crime look at a serial killer’s psyche, and by focusing on these women, Kukafka explores the depth of how they are individually affected by their own choices and the choices of others. The exploration of the way our choices splinter our lives into endless different paths was unexpected, but a theme I greatly appreciated throughout the women’s stories as well as Ansel’s own death row reflections. I found myself aching for the pain that Lavender felt at the hands of her husband, while recognizing and resenting her choice of abandoning her children in order to save herself. I found myself devastated in Hazel’s recognition that she would forever be shadowed by the death of her twin sister. But I found myself most pleased with the outcome of Saffy’s story. Her unsuredness in herself that dissolves into a steadfast and primal need to seek justice - only for that justice to then ultimately feel unsatisfying and flawed (as our system often is). Truly a masterful exploration of tragedy and its effects on humanity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Murder, and Domestic abuse

canderssss's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, and Animal death

arayo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, and Confinement

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Pregnancy

imogenlj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

When I finished this I felt like I'd been punched in my diaphragm- it's devastating, righteous and empathetic, yet hopeful. I felt tense the entire time I was reading. I want to push this into the hands of anyone fascinated with True Crime and say 'Look! It's not about the killers!' It doesn't dwell too much on anything but this is a dark book so check trigger warnings if you're keen to avoid something.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Grief, Murder, Child death, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Self harm, Drug abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, Racism, and Sexual assault

_booksandbells's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Death, and Mental illness

earth2sammi's review against another edition

dark tense

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Every woman in this book is so compelling. Saffy, Jenny, Shawna, LAVENDER, Hazel, Lila.....I could go on. Prose was off the walls, I loved it.

I was a bit bummed that we didn't REALLY get a lot from Baby Packer/Ellis. I was also a little underwhelmed at the chapters Blue was in. Reading those chapters made me feel even more uncomfy with Ansel, I wasn't sure if he ever really liked Blue or if he was just sick. I guess he was both. I would have given anything for an Ansel and Lavender reunion. His theory was really interesting too.

Overall, super gripping. I'm glad I read it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Child abuse

kingkiller99's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Animal death

spookymartinireads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Animal death, and Toxic relationship