Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

In the Distance by Hernán Díaz

11 reviews

readerette's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

If you liked Grapes of Wrath, you'll probably like this, since it's basically the same story but about one man surviving in the Old West instead of a family surviving during the Great Depression. If you're expecting something akin to the wonder and depth of Trust, though, you'll be disappointed (though if you didn't like Trust maybe this would be more to your taste, since it's quite different). Well-written and Håkan is easy to empathize with. 

The edition I read had a rather distasteful note after the story that "literature is not the same as publishing", which in the context of this overwrought book feels snobbish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Violence, Death, Gun violence, Confinement, Medical content, and Torture

Minor: Sexual violence

emerbk's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, and Sexual violence

feebles640's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

wolfism's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Animal death, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Violence, Medical content, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Confinement

msawyer77's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Excrement, Gun violence, Torture, Child death, Confinement, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Grief, and Physical abuse

savvylit's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

"The vastness around him was now his flesh. And yet, nothing - not the countless footsteps taken or knowledge acquired, not the adversaries bested or the friends made, not the love felt or the blood shed - had made it his."

In theory, I did not think this would be a book I would enjoy. Historical fiction about a lone man experiencing violence and desolation? Typically not my genre. However, In the Distance is an incredible book and Håkan is a captivating protagonist. Hernan Diaz writes so artfully and efficiently - I don't think there is a single superfluous word in this novel. Often reading like an early American folktale, this novel follows Håkan on a sort of anti-hero's journey. He constantly gets swept up in situations that he'd rather avoid. Some of the situations are so extreme that they invite disbelief. However, Diaz somehow manages to keep Håkan's story convincing all the way up to the perfect ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Medical trauma, Confinement, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Murder, Torture, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Violence, Gun violence, and Medical content

kcassano's review against another edition

Too much animal gore and for why? Could've had so much more character development with all of the interesting people he comes across on his journey. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Gore

natalieba's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death

Moderate: Kidnapping, Sexual content, and Trafficking

pollyflorence's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, and Medical trauma

eringloriaryan's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Trafficking, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Rape