Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

9 reviews

jss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Kidnapping

madamelacy's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Trafficking

Moderate: Death and Grief

juleemhuy's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I’m concerned for us if what happens in this book is considered ok.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

deedireads's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

A Town Called Solace is a quick read that manages to cover heavy topics while also feeling comforting. The plot is a big formulaic, but I enjoyed it.

For you if: You like books with multiple narrators and nonlinear timelines.

FULL REVIEW:

A Town Called Solace is my first read by Mary Lawson, thanks to the 2022 Booker Prize longlist. And while the plot did feel a little Hallmark Movie-ish (which, on the flip side, actually makes this a much more approachable novel than most Booker books), I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it.

The book has three main characters, all of whom get POV chapters: A young girl named Clara, whose older sister ran away and is missing; her elderly neighbor, Elizabeth (aka Mrs. Orchard), who is in the hospital; and a young man named Liam who’s staying in Mrs. Orchard’s house. I don’t want to give too much away, but suffice to say that we learn a lot more about these three characters, especially how Liam and Mrs. Orchard’s lives once intersected. The plot builds to a big reveal at the end.

What impressed me about this book was how cozy it felt while also dealing with some whopping heavy themes — chronic miscarriage and infertility, for one (that’s not a spoiler, but it is a trigger warning), and a missing teenager/sister, for another. It also somehow feels almost quiet AND like a page-turner (I read it in one day). As we discussed at book club, we can see why people compare Mary Lawson to Anne Tyler.

Overall, most of us agreed that we enjoyed it, even if it sometimes felt too tidy or formulaic. Sometimes we litfic readers just need something less taxing to sink into!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Miscarriage

Moderate: Child abuse and Death

Minor: Rape and Toxic relationship

lou_o_donnell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Pregnancy

jen_again's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Miscarriage

Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Domestic abuse

cozjetez's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Kidnapping, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Rape

amnda527's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

aeeklund's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault