Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Vardø: La isla de las mujeres by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

33 reviews

mariebrunelm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.75

It is 1617 on an island off the coast of Norway and a wave of unprecedented proportions swallows most of the men from the village of Vardø. The women find ways to survive even when some of them have to turn a blind eye to propriety. Their community is united by grief more than anything, but still divided by the importance they are willing to give to Christianism, the imported religion, which clashes with the Sámi way of life some of them uphold. Yet Vardø is enduring, when a boat brings to them a commissioner, Absalom, and his wife Ursa. He is tasked with restoring religious order and putting an end to the spread of witchcraft. She is merely doing her best in this new life alongside a husband she did not choose.

This novel, in the best vein of historical fiction, gives a body and feelings to anonymous silhouettes in history books. The characters are nuanced and though the action doesn’t rush forward, the narrative has an intensity and a tension that is reflected in the unforgiving landscape and biting wind blowing through this naked land. The writing style is concise but beautifully complex, taking sentences in unexpected directions without using fancy words or trying to mimic a historical style. This is a fiercely feminist novel in that it doesn’t put women on a pedestal but rather shows the multiple ways in which each one deals with her grief and considers her place within society, flaws and all. When I first heard of this book I thought it was some kind of historical utopia, describing a moment when women had lived harmoniously after the men had disappeared. It’s not. There’s tension and conflict, which makes it all the more realistic. I think this is a fantastic book (not a drop of magic here) which looks at the history that is not only made by white, rich men.

Rep : sapphic characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual violence, Murder, and Animal death

moviemagus's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Miscarriage, Sexism, Death, Animal death, Rape, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Violence and Torture

moriahleigh's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Murder, Sexism, and Sexual assault

typedtruths's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Rape, Murder, Sexism, Grief, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Colonisation, Alcohol, Racism, Sexual content, Death, Torture, and Racial slurs

Minor: Pregnancy, Gore, and Animal death

➸ Trigger warnings for period-typical misogyny, colonialism, anti-indigenous racism, forced marriage, religious bigotry, persecution for witchcraft (theme) including the on-page depiction of witch trials and burning women at the stake, graphic martial rape and sexual assault, infidelity (the protagonist is in a forced marriage though), pregnancy and pregnancy from rape discussed, childbirth, miscarriage, alcohol consumption, blood and gore depiction including dead bodies, death of a friend (on-page), death of a father, husband and brother mentioned, mass death by boating accident, murder (on-page), torture (implied), imprisonment mentioned, near-drowning incident, and animal death.

laurataylor's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Animal death, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Body horror, Colonisation, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Murder

frankieclc's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Animal death

Minor: Rape

lynneliu's review against another edition

challenging informative sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Death of parent, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Classism, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Infidelity

arminam's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Grief, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Alcohol, Blood, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Torture

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Fatphobia

shoohoob's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Genuinely one of the most tense books I have ever read. There is such a feeling of terror and anxiety in every word of this book. I somehow knew what was coming and STILL managed to be shocked at the end. Every time there was even a shred of happiness, it was taken away just as fast. I loved it!

I also wanted to note that this is NOT a romance book. The sapphic aspect is interspersed and is not the main focus of the book. Just be aware of that in case you are recommended this book as a sapphic read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Blood, Animal death, Torture, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Grief, Death, and Cursing

nicnevin's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This story is capitivating, almost as if by magic. 

That tasteless joke aside, its a beautiful piece showing how minor quibbles can lead to such devestating consequences. 

The relationships and social connections throughout are stitched together with a raw, real intensity. Its beautiful. 

A warning though, it can be intense so just a heads up! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Violence, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Torture