Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara

5 reviews

partybonus's review

challenging sad medium-paced

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

I do notttt recommend! It is a trigger warning minefield and full of really wretched moments. The lush rainforest backdrop and descriptions of the scenery belong in a travel guide which is what I think this writer was before they became a writer. I wish I hadn’t read it. It haunted me and I am not interested in shockingly violent and horrendous situations in books anymore, especially when there is zero reason for it. Stay away! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Rape, Trafficking, Animal death, Colonisation, Incest, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Xenophobia

emmap_1109's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Rape, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, Colonisation, and Slavery

kvdb's review

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Emotional abuse

maidinnah's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Audacious and horrifying, yet thrilling, The People in the Trees delves into the life and mind of Dr. Norton Perina, a brilliant, depraved medical researcher armed with terrifying ambition and a deep disregard for life. Yanagihara's detailed, alluring prose explores themes of hubris and abuse on an interpersonal and systemic level, and how figures like Perina become woven into the histories of entire societies. It's moral relativism at its finest -- disturbing, unflinching, and challenging.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, and Slavery

Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty

Minor: Death of parent

msefinney's review

challenging dark 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Child abuse, Dementia, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Racism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Excrement, Suicide, Slavery, Body shaming, and Suicidal thoughts