Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
34 reviews
caiterlenbachreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
1.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
meganadams2244's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
justmys's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Excrement, Antisemitism, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Classism
pinto_los_flores's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
sar_she_her's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
~ Entertaining at x1.2 speed.
- Fyi LOTS of gore and Trigger Warnings for many themes. In addition to numerous ones cited below, also creepy/crawly/gross out factor. (Albeit, worst gore is mostly in isolated parts of book: earlier in book as impetus for some call to action, and 1/2-2/3 through book with family endangerment, and 3/4-end with more of the same.)
+ I used to have to skip any books narrated by the much celebrated Bahni Turpin bc her performances of immature, catty, or complaining/whiny characters was too grating. But her array of performances for this book's variety of personalities and ages really impressed me and even converted me as a new fan. impressive performance!
~ While surely part of the author's intentional commentary, his representation of the male partners and how dismissive, condescending, and unaware they were was enraging. His tipping of the scales, whether feeling odds were against certain characters, or the resolution of certain conflicts, felt too steep and stacked, left unfinished or too tidily wrapped up. I wish these scenarios or interpersonal conflicts were more mixed and balanced.
~ Similarly, for better or worse, predictable. which can be helpful with scary horror, depends on readers' preferences.
+ That said I REALLY enjoyed the main protagonist, appreciated the representation of different aged women and black women, and glaring commentary around racism and classism and their effects.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Dementia, and Classism
Minor: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
torismazarine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
wheelyautistic's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
I'm afraid I have to disagree with most of the negative reviews regarding the 3-year skip, where the main character is complacent. Many reviewers viewed it us difficult and unrealistic or annoying however they fail to realise that this book whilst it does have a vampire and the supernatural elements is far more about a serial killer and a murderer then a high energy vampire slashing book. It feels realistic that no one would believe her or that she would become complacent and subdued because in reality any outburst could land her straight into an institute given the timing. The race aspects were necessary to indicate and portray a very real and common thing seen in real-life killers: that those deemed as less than are usually the ones killed and often their murders are overlooked. I think this book perfectly paralleled the real lids true crime books the characters read with a hind of supernatural influence to increase the severity and difficulty of the situation.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Racism
kaifragnito's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Blood, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
I’m glad that I read it because I was interested in reading a few books by this author but I don’t think they will be for me after all.
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
rowancdewit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
The first two thirds of the book just felt like a funny, satirical take on being a housewife in a southern community. The concept, so fun. A book club of women addicted to their true crime novels, when one woman in the group watches a supernatural true crime novel unfold in front of her. Not only is the premise enough to make you want to keep reading, I truly feel like Hendrix has the gift of gab. Just like with his other books, I just never wanted to put this one down. I HAD to keep reading!
But, like I said at the beginning of the review, the last eighty pages really ruined this book for me, and left a bad taste in my mouth. Without spoiling, it was so sad to realize that Hendrix was writing a supernatural novel, about a supernatural being, and he resorts to sexual assault as tactic. The way Hendrix wrote it in felt extremely distasteful and just plain gross. Again, you have a whole supernatural creature, with supernatural powers to be explored, but instead, his climax of terror is three grossly described sexual scenes, all at the very end of the book. As soon as the first scene hit, I was like, "are you kidding? this is what we've been building up to?" The scenes just completely erased the whimsy and drama of the book for me, and immediately just made the book feel immature and, again, gross. And felt lazy. Like, AGAIN I SAY, we have a whole supernatural creature, we know extremely little of his powers and his backstory, but instead of exploring that and trying to create an intense powerful climax of a story.... let's just very quickly, in the last EIGHTY PAGES of this book, throw in three extremely perverse (and distastefully written) scenes that make you dislike him, without effort. Lazy, off-putting, and, again again again cannot emphasize enough, gross.
Also, hated how inconsistent the characters were. Mainly, the husband. Which, I think I could have ignored if I liked the ending of the book. But I think hating the ending is making all of my other qualms with the book this book stand out even more to me. (EDIT: After uploading this review, I'm reading other negative reviews to see if anyone else agreed with the points I've made, and realizing there were so many more issues in this book that I also didn't like. So, I think I feel pretty justified in my scoring.)
I really wanted to love this book, and I honestly really did like most of it, but the ending really just killed it for me. One start it is.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Gore, Violence, and Blood