Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Passing by Nella Larsen

8 reviews

wytnie's review against another edition

4.5

I liked the book i was mainly interested in it because I'm black and wanted to see how this subject would be addressed in the past. I think the writing was interesting given how old it is but not bad. Thinking about reading "quicksand" that's also by Nella Larsen. Lastly, idk if its just me but sometimes it kind of felt like Clare and Irene liked each other because at times it gave "ex-girlfriends who still love each other" instead of old kinda sorta friends.

I will say, personally i am so happy that who died in the end did, i feel like it was the only way for things to get better for literally any of the other characters, I also think its kind of what she wanted in her own way.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism

faith99's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Infidelity

lateromantic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Outing

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Stalking, Colonisation, and Classism

laindarko2's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic friendship

Minor: Emotional abuse

wrightdobiez's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-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

so incredibly good at capturing what it's like to be in love, to hate yourself and to hate the places your mind takes you, and to be filled with regret over things you cannot change. irene's deep sense of regret seems to fill her narration of even the happiest moments in the book, and the entire text thrums with melancholia

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse

elenatamsen's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Classism

Minor: Abandonment

jessiebertram's review against another edition

reflective

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism

stephbakerbooks's review against another edition

challenging 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 had somehow never heard of this classic until last year (or at least had no recollection of hearing about it), which I think is a great failing of all those American Lit classes I took in high school and college. At barely over one hundred pages, it somehow manages to pack a lot in the story and would be great for discussion.

The story is told from Irene’s perspective, but we get a pretty clear picture of Clare’s struggles too, and both women are compelling leads, complex and far from perfect yet you still wish for their happiness. There were scenes where I sat with Irene in that feeling of “is this really happening right now,” and other scenes where I just wanted her to be kinder to Clare! And then sometimes I wanted to yell at Clare to stop making reckless choices and other times I just wanted to hug her.

This one is more character-driven than plot, though the plot does have its moments to shine. The ending is a bit open-ended, which I don’t usually love but I thought it worked well here. It’s up to the reader to decide how certain things play out.

I haven’t read a classic in a while, but this book reminded me why I love classics, and I’m so glad I finally read it!

Read if you like: The Vanishing Half, the 1920s, women’s lit, gray areas.
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Suicide