Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

27 reviews

kerrygetsliterary's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

cassielaj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

I cannot give this book a star rating. While the writing was good and the mystery compelling, this was a really challenging book to read, and it deserves more nuance than a 1-5 rating. This story is heavy. It is graphically detailed at times. It is tragic and disheartening and just the tiniest bit hopeful. And I honestly think it’s important. This book treats rape and sexual assault victims and trials in a way I haven’t seen enough in popular media, especially in the thriller genre, which often sensationalizes tragedy. It explores the challenges and injustices of the justice system when it comes to trying a sexual assault case. It explores class differences and politics in a small town and shows how power can be abused. It explores the guilt that can come with doing nothing to help someone in a time of need, and it explores redemption from the horrors of the past. I want to recommend it because it’s a good book, but I don’t want to because it was heavy. If you choose to read this, go in with as much information as you can, and be kind to yourself while you read it. 

From a thriller perspective, I did find it a bit predictable, but overall I thought the mystery was well paced. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Car accident, Grief, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicide, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Xenophobia

Detailed descriptions of a trial process. Graphic and disturbing details of manipulation, sexual assault, bullying, and more.

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

The Details:
Narrated by Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, Samantha Desz
Unabridged 

One of my late netgalley arcs, I decided to listen to via my library app.

This was riveting and harrowing read following a dual sexual assault case, one in the present day and one set in the mystery of a cover up that happened some years before. 

We follow a podcast presenter investigating both cases and it was interesting to see the perspective of varying characters of what, to me, is an obviously awful crime.

The acts done to the body was so graphic and really hard to read, so please bear that in mind.

Overall, I'm glad to have finally read this, but it was a heavy, difficult read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Car accident, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, Stalking, Torture, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

ruthypoo2's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Cancer, Grief, Blood, Car accident, and Suicidal thoughts

leebeeloves's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Bullying, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Stalking, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Vomit and Gun violence

smdamm's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

Too much mention and detail of rapes and other traumas. The author seemed to want to write a book of her own musings regarding the treatment of sexual assault cases by the criminal justice system. She didn’t seem to come to an explicit conclusion. I slogged through this book for a very disappointing and predictable “twist.” I should have DNFed this one. All trauma and a poorly formulated plot. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child abuse, Car accident, Rape, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Murder, Cancer, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, and Chronic illness

forthelove's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Whew this was a book! The book has two stories running in tandem, one in the past and one present. Rachel is our main character and has created a popular podcast. She is covering a rape trial in a small coastal town and is mysteriously approached by another woman to help solve her sisters murder. The story has lots of twists and turns and there really aren’t that many plot gaps. The ending was well paced and didn’t leave you scratching your head. I will definitely read more by this author 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Murder, Rape, and Cancer

ashleynewman's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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? Yes

4.0

Audio version was entertaining with the podcast element. Extremely dark/heavy subject matter but I never guessed the ending, which is rare and a big plus. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Child death, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, and Suicide

Minor: Terminal illness

pandalesque's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Heavy one to get through. Focuses on the trial procedures of a rape case and the bad an ugly that goes with it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Misogyny

rachelsbookishlife's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Child abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Violence