Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Red Sorghum by Mo Yan

4 reviews

rosellareads's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

2.75

This is anything but a light read. The author clearly takes delight in describing one bloody, cruel scene in graphic detail after another. His writing style is quite dense, a lot of description and metaphors and only few pages don't contain the word 'sorghum'. He jumps to flash backs without any warning and characters are described as 'father' 'grandmother', even though the grandson is never part of the story, which it all makes for an individual literary style. I found the book too heavy handed and sadistic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, War, Violence, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence

witheredflower's review against another edition

dark informative reflective 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, War, Blood, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Animal death, Excrement, Suicide, Torture, Sexual assault, and Vomit

sharonb's review against another edition

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Physical abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Murder, and Rape

seanml's review

challenging dark informative sad medium-paced

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

3.75

Red Sorghum was very casually the most graphic thing I’ve ever read. Its backdrop is 20th century China, jumping around between the early 1920s and through the intense Japanese occupation of 1939 and 1940. If you want a story where things get bad and then they get worse and then become entrenched in misfortune, this may be for you. 7.5/10.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Miscarriage, Gore, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Physical abuse, Vomit, Death, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Genocide, and War

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Classism, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Drug use, Addiction, Incest, and Suicide