Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

33 reviews

mlovesbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexism, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

clara01's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad 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? Yes

3.75

I liked this book, it's incredibly raw, relatable and thought provoking. At times it was cringy or hard to get through because the FMC is flawed and real, she makes mistakes and says or does the wrong thing. I found myself either wanting to shake her or hug her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Medical trauma, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Medical content

mari1532's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I listened to this audiobook with Libby through my library.

Brief Summary: Queenie is a woman trying to find herself after a devastating breakup. However, the more she tries to avoid her problems the more problems she seems to have.

Thoughts: If I was rating this book simply on writing it would be 5 out of 5. Carty-Williams writes with such emotionally vivid gripping detail that you can't help but sympathize or empathize with her characters. That being said this book was a lot. The book blurb describes it as Bridget Jones meets Americanah and I did not get the quicky, cheery vibes of Bridget Jones until the last 10 pages of the book. 

I appreciated how this was written to read as if we were reading Queenie's thoughts as if she were writing in a journal because it made her seem vulnerable and relatable. There were quite a few points where I was yelling at Queenie to not do that thing. Carty-Williams wrote her in such a way that you immediately felt that Queenie was your friend and you wanted the best for her. I think the nuance of Queeni and every other character in the book was my favourite part.    

Of course, there were a few people I did not like in this book even though they were well-written. Men whose names start with T, random Guys, and backstabbing friends were the villains of this book. On some level, I do think these subplots highlight the mess of being a woman in your 20s and on another level that some people truly never leave high school. 

I also really liked the journey that Queenie went on with therapy and her family. The arc of that plot line was beautiful to see and highlighted how people can sometimes surprise you.

This was a really good book and I would recommend it as a read. However, this is more a coming-of-age story and what it takes to discover who you are as a person, rather than a rom-com. It is exquisitely written.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

ndelaurence's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

genthepineapple's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Stalking, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting

franksreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny sad fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Miscarriage

littlecozyreaderr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

potaylachips's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

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

4.75

I could relate a lot to Queenie. Even though she’s not based in the US, I still could understand the troubles she faced. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

flashandoutbreak's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

pamxramirez's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

i found the first half quite difficult to read, but once I understood the author's intentions (and noticed the bookis in the Fleabag genre), everything settled into place. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Self harm, and Gaslighting

Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, and Classism