Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Dune by Frank Herbert

52 reviews

francesstcyr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? No

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child death, Genocide, Slavery, and Suicide

iwi's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

3.0

There is little I enjoyed about this story. Unfortunately the views of the author are so blatant that I can't just detach it from real life. There is so much discrimination, I honestly I had to stop and reread like is that really what was said? And yes, every time. I would love to see what other people see that end up loving these stories. I do like the sandworms. But I couldn't even find the characters enjoyable. Paul is revolting in every way to me. The use of religion makes my skin crawl. I think he is a villain. I don't think we are supposed to like him. 

I think part of the intention here was to show how harmful humans and power is. That I can agree with. But I still wish that I liked more about this story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Genocide, Homophobia, and Slavery

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Incest, Infertility, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

angoisse's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Death, Genocide, Murder, and Sexual content

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Slavery

darkpizza's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Genocide, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, War, and Xenophobia

astridrv's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious 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? It's complicated

I finished it! A very layered, complex books that was quite difficult to get into but rewarding after about a third. I am quite pleasantly surprised by the female characters (although gender essentialism remains). Big warning for fatphobia though, the villain is essentially described by his size as an incarnation of cruelty and greed in upsetting ways (add to that that he is gay and a pedophile, UGH). But otherwise, the deeper themes are very compelling, the writing is difficult but I think entirely on purpose, some sentences blew me away, and I hope to re read it some day. It is also interesting to couple this read with The Parable of the Sower, which also counts the birth of a messiah / goddess, but her theology is so communal, built on discussions with others, and faces greater difficulties than Paul does in this book. I would like to delve into that analysis a bit more some day...

In the end, this book is not even that long for the depth of the universe it presents. Onto the next one!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia

Moderate: Colonisation, Drug use, and Genocide

Minor: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Murder, Pedophilia, and Homophobia

levtolstoy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Murder, and War

Moderate: Blood and Death of parent

Minor: Cursing

elizlizabeth's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

As good as the first time I read it five years ago. Even if you don't like scifi there's so much to Dune that you're bound to find something worth reading among its pages.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Slavery, Pedophilia, Drug use, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief and Genocide

Minor: Gun violence and Religious bigotry

None of these are portrayed as positive or acceptable.

chaotic_ratcoon's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Genocide, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, and Grief

librarycowboy's review against another edition

challenging reflective 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

5.0

I found this book really enjoyable and immersive! I prefer novels with lots of politics, world-building, and character focused narratives; Dune brought all of these elements to the table.

While the book is slow paced and challenging--with lots of new words, minimal action scenes, and a whooping 800+ pages--I actually found myself flying through it at a pace I haven't seen since my youth. I particularly appreciated the omniscient 3rd person narration style, which didn't switch through points of view (something that i personally find to drag on and get boring), but rather included random thoughts and feelings from different characters within the same chapters, without pausing or intruding on the progression of the plot. However, I can see that this may be confusing or intrusive for some readers as thoughts may come from completely different characters without break on the same page.

Additionally, Dune did not have many action scenes. While the book focused on the beginnings of a revolution, actual battles were glossed over in favour of build ups and aftermaths. Considering the fact that this book isn't "hard scifi"--it doesn't go into detail over the science and technicalities of the world--the lack of in-the-moment battle tactics seemed fitting. I personally enjoy the mind games that come before the outright violence (though this book does include the violence) but readers looking for adventurous reads might be thrown for a loop. 

In conclusion, if you enjoy world building, political drama, societal consequences, mind games, and amazing settings, this book may be for you. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide and Murder

Moderate: Addiction

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

adventurous reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, and Violence

Minor: Child death, Addiction, Pedophilia, Slavery, and Fatphobia