Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

216 reviews

5aru's review against another edition

emotional informative lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• 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

3.5

A deeply nuanced and tender story of love that kept me reading even despite myself. It is a difficult book dealing with difficult topics, and so I did not so much like the characters as was invested in them. I wanted to know more, and was very much impressed by Zevin's capacity to convey their multifaceted personalities in an honest yet compassionate way. I do still think Sadie was a victim here though.

My biggest gripe with this one was in fact the writing style. It read impressively lyrical at times and clunky at others; overly informational in its cultural references (it ought to be an "either you get it or you don't" type thing imo); and Zevin resorted to overly complex words when it made little sense as an aesthetic choice in-context, when simpler concepts would likely have worked better. It makes the work read childish and even trite at times, despite the nuance it condenses.

Spoiler

I am also upset at Marx's death and it's difficult for me to say whether it's for legitimate reasons (I'm bothered by the cliché of it, the deus-ex-machina of it) or simply because it made me real damn sad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Grief, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Car accident

Moderate: Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Misogyny

Minor: Racism, Racial slurs, and Cancer

mariahgayleschultz's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexism, and Racism

Minor: Abortion

qgg's review against another edition

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

5.0

I am wrecked for this book. 
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that included all of the various iterations of love yet excluded romantic love as much as possible from it’s pages. At the same time, the familial, partner and friendship relationships in this book are so deep they dig into your gut while you are reading.

Spoiler

You truly feel that “I love you” isn’t descriptive enough. 

The portrayal of disability in this book is intense. I haven’t read something like this in popular fiction before. 

The complex characters, story arcs, banter while plotting games and the characters’ vocabulary!! I want to reread this book solely to look up all of the new vocab words. 

And lastly, I have to mention Sadie. I cheer for her, I ache with her, I yearn like her, I mourn with her…. I can’t remember a female character so unlike me, so complexly written, driven by so many different and competing desires, and I felt I understood her as a woman while not knowing what she’d do next. 

If that sounds like a hot mess, just read this book and tell me you aren’t a mess for it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent, Suicide, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Sexism, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Car accident, Homophobia, and Sexual violence

Minor: Abortion

camillesim's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Grief, Sexual violence, Suicide, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: Blood, Cancer, and Abortion

roxy_reads_romance's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicide, Death of parent, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Car accident

bookhead420's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Suicide, and Sexual violence

kirareadssometimes's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

This book was sad. Beautiful. But sad. I found myself rooting for characters one minute and then mad at them the next. A real roller coaster of emotions. It’s a very interesting story with unique characters I haven’t really read before. I enjoyed the time jump aspect of it a lot. I had really high hopes for this book, even though I knew it wasn’t my go to genre or subject matter. And I wouldn’t say I was let down but I am more emotionally scarred than I was expecting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical content, Gun violence, Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexism, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Car accident

Minor: Abortion

vistacanas's review against another edition

emotional 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

“The way to turn an ex-lover into a friend is to never stop loving them, to know that when one phase of a relationship ends it can transform into something else. It is to acknowledge that love is both a constant and a variable at the same time.”

This book was NOT what I expected…which, in this case, was a pleasant surprise. It’s like the lite version of A Little Life. Despite the fact that I’ve never been into video games whatsoever, it kept me surprisingly engaged. It was a quick read, but the last fifth of it dragged a bit.

The story is totally character driven; most of the characters are really well-developed and very human (meaning not always likable). Like A Little Life, it’s primarily about inner strife and intimate friendships and romantic relationships. 

Although I predicted part of what happened, it mostly kept me guessing…NOT an easy feat these days.

I did get mildly annoyed by the author’s “woke” references throughout…definitely a sign of the times. I don’t have an issue with being woke, it just wasn’t organic or subtle.

If you’re into emotional fiction about relationships, this is a very well-written book to add to your list! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Car accident, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Abortion and Cancer

alyssasaurus's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Domestic abuse, Blood, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Car accident, Homophobia, and Medical content

kaiulanilee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Car accident, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Grief, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence