Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

37 reviews

ravenfaerie's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Violence, Medical content, and Abortion

milshollini's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

racheldonna14's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

I read this book in 2010 and decided to reread and see if it was as good as I remember. It was better, and the themes ring loudly post Roe.
The characters start as 2D characters of a troubled teen, ward of the state, and religious tithe which allows the world to be the main character for a while. The world of this book feels familiar (because its mostly Ohio and Arizona) but the rules are different and it takes the reader on a journey to see what the USA has become post Second World War. Once the world is concretely established, the characters, and their relationships between one other, begin to blossom and become complex and whole. Each of their motivations and desires are unique leaving no room for confusion as to why they make the choices that they make even if the choice is wrong. The story is gut-wrenching and visceral from beginning to end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Pregnancy

sassolinosassoletto's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Trafficking, and Medical trauma

cursed_sapphire's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Violence, and Medical content

Moderate: Abortion

daphrose's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Sexual harassment, and War

besotted's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Medical content

Moderate: Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition

dark hopeful tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

ronniek's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Murder, and Abandonment

dark_marble_eyes's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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? No

2.5

I've seen this book as recommended reading for young adults/teens quite a lot, and I can see some merit in it. The main problem with this book is that it doesn't overtly take a stance, yet is promoted as a "conversation starter" on the subject/concept of abortion, the could-be alternatives, and the people on "either side" of the argument. It is purposefully written in such a way that somehow both anti-legal abortion and pro-legal abortion people regularly point to this book as a "see here! this is arguing my point!"
However, it comes across to me as a work written by someone who is either not invested in the issue or only invested in the way that it's a profitably inflammatory subject.

I cannot speak to the original intentions for the book and its sequels, but the opinion I personally have formed after reading the book, some interviews of the author, and the reactions of others, is that it lacks integrity of belief. I do believe that books written with intentional ambiguity can be helpful and valuable -just not this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: War

in relation to my tag on mass/school shootings- I do not remember there being specific mention of school shootings themselves, but there are people called "clappers" who are essentially suicide bombers in this universe who will go to schools or public areas and clap, activating [nitroglycerin?] in their bloodstream causing combustion and explosion.