Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

120 reviews

charlieeee's review against another edition

challenging mysterious sad 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Murder, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Cursing, Body horror, Cancer, Blood, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

theirgracegrace's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

Annihilation starts off with a series of questions, but its ending does not answer them to incredible effect. The plot centres around an expedition of four scientists who are the twelfth expedition to a place called Area X, where a strange historical event has led to the complete removal of human civilization. What this "human civilization" is replaced with, and what the four uncover about each other, tells a harrowing tale about what it means to be human. 

I was recommended this by a friend who was into biology, and I can definitely say it was a worthy recommendation! I read it all in a handful of sittings over the course of twenty-four hours and this was because I could not put it down. Each revelation is followed by something even more tense and terrifying, and the ending leaves so much unanswered...leading nicely into a second and third book. An amazing read, all in all!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Alcoholism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Death, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Suicide and Cursing

One of the characters uses hypnosis on the others, including a (ineffectual) command to kill themselves.

gotnoculture's review

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Cancer, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Minor: Suicide

lay_kone's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Death, Suicide, and Violence

droggelbecher42's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.75

Very trippy book, reads like a fucked up nightmare /positive
There isn't really a strong plot, but the book still manages to build up an incredible tension.
The author definitely knows how to create an atmosphere and his description of certain things created very vivid images in my mind

The inside of the tower is especially clear in my mind. The fucking fleshy walls covered in weird mushroom words. THE FUCK??

The ending is a bit too open for my taste, but maybe the sequels will at least answer some of the myriad of questions that I have right now

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, and Murder

chrismonroe's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence and Violence

_nem_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

There are so many questions left at the end of the book, especially with reading the synopsis of the second book. I'll definitely be continuing the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Gun violence

Moderate: Alcohol and Murder

Minor: Terminal illness, Cancer, and Pandemic/Epidemic

saracat's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

I feel like a lot of this book went over my head. It feels like there are very interesting sci-fi things happening, but also so many unanswered questions. Granted, there are other books after this and maybe those give more clarity to everything. 

I also felt like I couldn't relate easily to the narrator, though, I didn't dislike her.

I am intrigued enough that I might read the next book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Violence

strawberrybooks's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Loved this book, and as I biologist, I loved the Biologist’s thoughts and felt myself low-key relating to the sadistic need and search for knowledge at one’s expense. The atmosphere was amazing, I was gripped by the sense of danger, unease, and at times dream-like quality. I’m looking forward to reading the sequels to better understand the sudden ending. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body horror, Gun violence, and Violence

monsty's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Cancer