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Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
38 reviews
dokushoka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Physical abuse, Blood, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, and War
Minor: Child death and Murder
anna_stazija's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment
carolined314'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail
dealingwithdragons's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
lilacs_book_bower's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Other than that, I didn't like most of the characters, and didn't even care about the two leads especially. They fall in love very quickly. This book is dark, please check the CW. CW:
If you like fantasy, especially with good LGBTQ rep, and like stories on the darker side, I would give this one a try. In spite of the mixed bag of reactions, I would read another from this author.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Rape
aexileigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
pineapple_queen's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
scottie_reads's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
The beginning set up was a little slow, but the time spent building the world and the characters pays off. I found myself become very invested in what happened to Florian and Evelyn. Once the story got going there were times that I had to put the book down and scoot back into my seat.
Maggie Tokuda-Hall tackles some very interesting themes. I love how she is able to tie in little details and make them become so meaningful.
"We don't read to just imagine better lives. We read to be introduced to all kinds of lives... It's an escape, and it's also a way to become more connected to everyone around you. There's power in that, you know. in understanding. It's like magic" (45).
It's no coincidence that when Florian meets the Witch, Xenobia, that they find magic is created through taking and giving stories. Xenobia instructs Florian "Powerful things, stories. if you care to listen to them" (181). The stories we tell about ourselves and about others have power and become our truth.
As a side note, I'd love to hear what people think. Does Evelyn's mother, Lady Hasegawa, actually hate her daughter or does that tie into the stories people tell themselves about others? If Lady Hasegawa hated Evelyn so much, how was it that what she taught her daughter was the exact things Evelyn needed to know to survive? Looking at you floor plans of the 900th emperor's palace.
The more time I've spent reflecting on the book to write my review the more I appreciate my experience reading it. I'm happy to give it a 4 star reading recommendation.
Graphic: Death and Torture
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, and Colonisation
Minor: Xenophobia and Vomit
malva'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
3.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
kaytrain'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? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, and Colonisation