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Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'
Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory: Stories by Raphael Bob-Waksberg
3 reviews
everythingeatsandiseaten's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
it was so interesting to see how the author took the short story and turned it from its traditional form into something so much more radical and new!
there is a fine line for me when it comes to bending a genre, and i will say that i felt the more traditional stories were stronger and had more to them in this collection. however, the way bob-waksberg chooses to narrate and invents a premise is more than astounding. the way he brings you into his completely insane scenarios is so weird and abrupt and truly stretches my understanding of the vastness of fiction. it takes you both back to the basics and also ignores convention so blatantly it's appalling.
i really wanted to read this especially because of the author's work as seen in bojack horseman, which is such a personal and iconic show. of course, this book is nothing like bojack horseman when it comes to wackiness and also like depression, because the backdrops of the stories are much more unique and immersive, and it deals with its sensitive themes in a more subtle and metaphorical manner. also the pieces more concern self in relation to others (relationships, love, family) as opposed to self alone. which is not a bad thing at all! just to keep in mind to alter any expectations, because i think bojack has a good balance of both and this book tips the scale further.
'Move across the country', 'Rules for Taboo', and 'We will be close on Friday 18 July' were definitely my favorite pieces in this collection. (can you tell i like prose poetry?) i really enjoyed the anonymity and lack of characterization, or, perhaps, presence of it. the range of themes and how bob-waksberg observes love through different lenses is so impressive and large. it was pretty big journey to get through, but one that i thoroughly enjoyed! i never knew how absurd or normal the next happening would be, which was so refreshing compared to a lot of popular fiction that feels so recycled.
i will say the stories that took a more absurdist or outlandish path were more out of my comfort zone, and harder for me to enjoy. but that doesn't mean they weren't really really beautiful! this is a great collection on love coming from a brilliant mind. and the title is so ♡
there is a fine line for me when it comes to bending a genre, and i will say that i felt the more traditional stories were stronger and had more to them in this collection. however, the way bob-waksberg chooses to narrate and invents a premise is more than astounding. the way he brings you into his completely insane scenarios is so weird and abrupt and truly stretches my understanding of the vastness of fiction. it takes you both back to the basics and also ignores convention so blatantly it's appalling.
i really wanted to read this especially because of the author's work as seen in bojack horseman, which is such a personal and iconic show. of course, this book is nothing like bojack horseman when it comes to wackiness and also like depression, because the backdrops of the stories are much more unique and immersive, and it deals with its sensitive themes in a more subtle and metaphorical manner. also the pieces more concern self in relation to others (relationships, love, family) as opposed to self alone. which is not a bad thing at all! just to keep in mind to alter any expectations, because i think bojack has a good balance of both and this book tips the scale further.
'Move across the country', 'Rules for Taboo', and 'We will be close on Friday 18 July' were definitely my favorite pieces in this collection. (can you tell i like prose poetry?) i really enjoyed the anonymity and lack of characterization, or, perhaps, presence of it. the range of themes and how bob-waksberg observes love through different lenses is so impressive and large. it was pretty big journey to get through, but one that i thoroughly enjoyed! i never knew how absurd or normal the next happening would be, which was so refreshing compared to a lot of popular fiction that feels so recycled.
i will say the stories that took a more absurdist or outlandish path were more out of my comfort zone, and harder for me to enjoy. but that doesn't mean they weren't really really beautiful! this is a great collection on love coming from a brilliant mind. and the title is so ♡
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Toxic friendship
Minor: Incest
spooderman's review
dark
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
jayisreading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
4.5
This was such a delightful collection of short stories, though I also recognize that Bob-Waksberg, the creator of BoJack Horseman, has a particular sense of humor that won’t work for everyone. In other words, if you’re a fan of the television show, this will definitely be up your alley. If not, you may want to skip this one.
Much like BoJack Horseman, the characters and situations in each story were so flawed due to people being... well, people. It was also interesting to see the slight shifts in writing style for some stories (nothing revolutionary), which added to the unique perspective that each story brought. As humorous as many of these stories were, there was always a bittersweet (often leaning more towards bitter) feeling that lingered.
I listened to the audiobook alongside reading the book, especially after seeing that the cast of narrators included quite a few voice actors/actresses who appeared in the show. They brought so much life to each story and I think made the book even more enjoyable for me. Like any short story collection, some stories were a little duller than others, but again, I think the audiobook really saved those less interesting ones, and highly recommend listening to it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cancer, Suicide, and Grief