Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica

5 reviews

lexcellent's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

forgedopulence's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Reviews for each story are as short as I can keep them. I Also had a bit of trouble finding trigger/content warnings for the stories, so I documented some to hopefully make the search a little easier for someone else.

A Light, Swift, and Monstrous Sound - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Suicide, Body Horror

This was a banger, literally.

Roberto - ⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Pedophilia

I'm so uncomfy, but I still don't get it?

Unamuno's Boxes - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

TW/CW: Serial Killer

This felt rushed. I really would have liked more context. The last line really hit, though.

Candy Pink - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

TW/CW: Psychological Break, Suicide

This was literally the most disturbing story in the entire anthology. Oh my god.

Anita and Happiness - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Hint of Murder Fantasy

Solid. I enjoyed it.

Dishwasher - ⭐️

TW/CW: Mental Illness

What was the point?

Earth - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

TW/CW: Pedophilia, Murder, Toxic Family, Child Abandonment

This really hit me in the feels, but the conclusion is a bit unrealistic. 

Perfect Symmetry - ⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Murder

Again, this needs more context.

The Wolf's Breath - ⭐️

No major TW/CW.

This read like a draft.

Teicher vs. Nietzsche - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Fantasy of Animal Cruelty/Death (cat)

JUSTICE. I hope the cat eats him.

The Dead - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Parental Death, Grief from Child's Perspective 

Wonderfully written.

Elena-Marie Sandoz - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

TW/CW: Stalking/Obsession, Suicide, Psychological Break

This story was set up pretty much perfectly, but it just wasn't intriguing enough for me. Women can't just exist. I know this. I don't need the reminder.

The Slowness of Pleasure - ⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Yearning for Death

Death is a pleasurable experience, I guess?

No Tears - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Funeral Voyeurism

A slow dance between the happiness and sadness that is inevitable within grief. Beautiful.

The Continuous Equality of the Circumference - ⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Mutilation

Striving for perfection will kill you, and you know it, but you do it anyway.

A Hole Hides a House - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Child Death

Absolutely tragic, being that close to freedom. At least he's dead though.

Hell - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Animal Cruelty/Death (birds)

The first glimpse of freedom not taken is the first glimpse of hell. The impact would have been better with a human subject, but I still very much enjoyed the premise.

Architecture - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Religious Horror

I feel the same about the church I was raised in. 

Mary Carminum - ⭐️

TW/CW: Religious/Cult Horror

This just felt thrown together. I have no idea how decisions were made, what anyone was doing, or what I was supposed to take from this story.

The Solitary Ones - ⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW/CW: Mention of Animal Death (dog)

Routine creepy ghost story.

Overall Average: 3.35⭐️ but I'm happy enough to bump it to 4⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Child death

Minor: Toxic relationship

bookworm_haley's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder

booksnbrooches's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

1.0

Based on for my personal enjoyment and rating of these stories, I hated it. 

This book is filled with incomplete stories and trauma porn (specifically of women and children ). I guess if you want a really bad time, go ahead and read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail