Reviews tagging 'Rape'

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

6 reviews

rieviolet's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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? No

4.0

I appreciated the glimpse into a time and place (the Dominican Republic in the years of the Trujillo dictatorship) that I was completely unfamiliar with. 

There were some aspects that I struggled with (mainly the strong religious focus and the inevitable association of womanhood with marriage and motherhood) but since that has to do with my own sensibilites, it might bother other readers less.

The chapters with alternating POVs and the  insertion of sections with diary entries make for a flowing reading experience. Still, I found some parts and perspectives more interesting and engaging than others. 
I really liked the final section from Dedé's POV, I found it the most moving and also the most effective in terms of prose.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexism, Death, Confinement, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Classism, War, Gun violence, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Blood, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Dementia, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Racism, Mass/school shootings, Antisemitism, Body horror, Alcoholism, Suicide, Kidnapping, Rape, Medical content, Sexual content, Homophobia, Ableism, Cancer, Genocide, Vomit, Lesbophobia, and Excrement

safpearl's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and War

alootoo's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: War, Gun violence, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, Murder, Torture, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Hate crime, and Death

ranireadsbooks's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Rape, Death, Miscarriage, Violence, Murder, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

jberg216's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Moderate: Rape

tortilla_lea's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book is actually insane. It's incredibly character-driven and you feel so much for each of these sisters. At the heart of it, I see this book as a horrible tragedy; a war against women. The connection between the sisters is so real. As a Hispanic woman with three others sisters, I felt this all so vividly. This book has just about every trigger warning in the book but it really speaks to the reality of this people. I will not long forget this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and War