Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Crossing by Pajtim Statovci

8 reviews

emoryscott's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Absolutely stunning. As a transgender person who has experienced similar traumas as the main character, I connected with this book deeply. It is a challenging read because of the depth of sorrow the protagonist faces, but it is also hauntingly beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Violence, Cancer, Car accident, Hate crime, Mental illness, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Drug use, Excrement, Misogyny, Outing, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Racism, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Islamophobia, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Toxic friendship, War, Xenophobia, Dementia, Trafficking, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

nathaneal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

i feel weirdly connected to this book even tho i cannot point out a specific chapter, phrase, ect that i feel connected to. i loved reading it, but it took ages for me to finish it. i couldn’t deal with the constant time change, the constant change of the feelings i connected to the times the protagonist talked about. but i found the book weirdly comforting in some way i unfortunately cannot express.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Trafficking

pissdrawerlmfao's review

dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Death, Rape, Transphobia, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Child death, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Grief, Mental illness, Trafficking, Violence, Pedophilia, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, War, Cursing, and Xenophobia

alexhaydon's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, War, Transphobia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

serendipitysbooks's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

  Crossing is the story of Bujar who, along with best friend Agim, decides to flee his Albanian hometown in search of greater happiness elsewhere. It’s a novel that touches on some heavy themes - sexual and gender identity, shame, the isolation of being a refugee, belonging and acceptance. There is graphic ongoing sexual assault and an attempted suicide as well so not an easy read. Bujar is a complicated character, not always a reliable narrator, someone who never settles and is constantly reinventing himself. His actions are often reprehensible, but knowledge of his past makes it a little easier to understand them. While there are some comic moments the overall tone of this book is grim and brutal, an accurate reflection of the realities of war-torn Albania and the life Bujar felt forced to lead. The incorporation of Albanian folk tales throughout this novel was a bonus, adding an additional layer of depth. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

franek's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Homophobia, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Mental illness

annieinthearchives's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Death

Minor: Trafficking

macsenbesemer's review

challenging emotional sad 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

This book was truly wonderful, it’s complex, it’s emotional, and at times a bit confusing. It deals with identities in so many ways, and how they affect us. And oh boy the ending *no spoilers* was just so,,, much. I throughly enjoyed the journey this book took me on, even if it was not the journey I wished it was. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia