Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Devourers by Indra Das

80 reviews

sistaharlem's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism

Moderate: Rape

gardensnail's review

dark sad medium-paced

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

2.25

This book made me mad. It is a beautiful piece of prose that tells a horrid story. There are glimpses of what this book could have been in that prose: a romance, a thriller, a story told entirely in letter. But none of these it accomplishes well. By Part 6, I was exhausted; already having known who the mysterious man was. The other narrator, Alok, waswas as similarly uninteresting. Neither Alok nor the mysterious man felt like real characters of their own. They were superceded by the other bits of the story. 

This, to me, was the most egregious. There were moments in the book where I felt I understood what the author was trying to say. Both Alok and the Half-man are outsiders for some innate quality, born out of and into a violent world that is against them, to parents they have complex and distant relationships with. Their coupling felt detached and distant. I wanted so badly in those moments to wish there was romance in it. But there wasn't, and there won't be. It filled me with incredible sadness. The very last pages are the worst, sealing it as a tragedy. I would be hesitant to describe this book in terms of its flirtation with

transgenderism; but Alok's inability to not only come to terms with his sexuality, but also gender identity and/or expression is crippling when we only learn about them in the last few pages.

I wish it were not so. But again, it is the finality of this book. There are no good conclusions, and no happy endings. It goes in and out. 

I can't say its a bad book. Or that I would never recommend it. Again, the prose is unlike anything I've read before. However, it is a book that I will likely never want to read again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Cannibalism, Violence, Murder, and Rape

adelheid's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

mattycakesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Homophobia, Rape, and Gore

absakaabby's review

mysterious reflective 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

3.5

Beautifully written. Weaves you through folklore and myths over centuries with such a mystical ease. The craving for love in each of the characters is felt. 
There are times when some descriptions are gruesome and unsettling though. I found myself skipping through the last 30 pages while it tried to reiterate everything the book had already said. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Sexual assault, Excrement, Homophobia, Rape, and Sexual violence

jr_the_pin_witch's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-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

4.0

I recommend this for queer femmes that want a darker exploration of werewolf tropes.

I felt this was an incredibly well written exploration of love, humanity, monstrosity, transformation/fluidity, queerness, exile, found family, family, acceptance, self, etc. A lot is going on here, even though the front facing story is very simple.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape

This is explored in the book but not graphically described.

smoothlikebutter's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Death, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

Queer werewolves

mle11's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Violence, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Animal death, Rape, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Biphobia, Excrement, Homophobia, Vomit, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Kidnapping, and Self harm

Minor: Colonisation and Drug use

stone_stupas's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-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

3.0

If the character had pissed and sh*t less in this book and Indra Das hadn't chosen to collapse their own logic towards the end, this would have been rated higher. Still worth the read because it is written beautifully and historical details and events are woven intricately!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement and Rape

ssjd411's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.0

Beautifully written and very dark. The story held my attention even as it got darker and more violent. The character development is so rich that it pulls you through the death and destruction. It's like nothing I've read before, and it will stay with me for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Stalking, Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Cannibalism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Cannibalism