Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

139 reviews

glenn_toto's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

2.5

It was fine. Not nearly as good as people made it out to be when they were trying to convince me to read it. I found Claire to be more likable at the beginning of the book and found I liked her less and less as the story went on. Jamie is fine I guess. I liked the world building. I didn’t like the rape, domestic violence, and how the only “queer” character was sadistic and a “freak”. Poor representation, but I get that it was written a while ago and is meant to be representative of people in the 1700s. Again, it was fine. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Rape

kira_laine's review against another edition

There was too much SA and too many near-rapes for me. The TV show might be better for me to enjoy the story.

The last straw was after Jamie beat Clair with a belt against her will and admitted that he liked it. He then coerced her into having extremely rough sex twice the next day. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

outofthepinksky's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Vomit, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Death of parent

sejw's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Medical content and Pregnancy

luksie's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

1.75

Sterne nur für die Recherche und das erste Drittel. Danach war es einfach nur schlimm. Ab ca der Hälfte habe ich überflogen, da ich mir nicht noch mehr romantisierte Misshandlung geben konnte.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Rape

rachaellsmith's review against another edition

3.0

There needs to be a few more trigger warnings for this story. I understand why certain aspects were included but I wasn’t prepared for that kind of trauma. Overall a well thought out story with cool characters and a neat and unique plot 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

deutschemausi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

Spoilers for sure!

This book is excellently written but damn it’s so long 😂

I was a tad bit bored at first but I’d say about a quarter of the way through I was all ears. It does get a bit repetitive every once in awhile but that reqlly isn’t a biggie. 

My biggest issue was the god damn treatment of women.  I know that’s how it was back Then but it’s still incredibly difficult to read. 

I really liked Jaime at first I was so hoping he would be that one guy that was a decent human being and I know it’s an unpopular opinion but he’s a piece of shit. Sorry he really is,

there’s things he does that he says he’s obligated to do or wants to have sex with her where he does not care about her decision, regardless if she ends up enjoying herself or forgiving him does not MAKE THIS OK. gah.  

Also beating Claire so bad that she herself says within an inch of her life just because she disobeys him (which almost led to her own brutal rape yet again so I’m sure she learned her lesson either way)?! And then forgives him the next day??? What is that?! No matter what time point this is, Claire herself is from a future where this isn’t ok and although in her time point violence against women is still a little more prominent then it is today she still knows it’s not acceptable behavior. So why is she forgiving him the day after? 

I do not believe all the defenses of oh it was “spanking”. Spanking and beating someone so bad they can’t do anything more then lay down for several days are two very different things. 

It says and I quote “Gentle he would be, denied he would not.” 

That’s rape. And it maybe wouldn’t bother me as much if 

a. This kinda shit didn’t happen all the damn time in the past and still happens today  

b. This book and show is so god damned popular and Jaime is seen as an amazing partner and husband and person! 

He’s not and he’s scum and I hate that he’s defended. I will not do it. 

And the absolute normalization of molestation and rape is appalling for both men and women.

Given that this book is a representation of the past I can live with that. I think my biggest issue here is that people in today’s world defend him. That’s where my true issue lies.

And I’m sorry he was raped too but just because a rapist is raped doesn’t forgive the rapes they’ve done themselves.

I just don’t get. 

Now saying all that and obviously I didn’t enjoy those parts of the book but it is amazingly written which is why I gave it a higher rating. This writing is impeccable and I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that I can dislike and enjoy at the same time. Gabaldon is a true storyteller and an amazing writer. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

andysanzz_'s review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

my_name_is_jess's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad

4.0

This book was a lot. Sometimes I had to put it down and walk away for a few hours. The story and the characters will be something I'll think about for a long time probably. 

Audiobook narration: 5/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Medical trauma

simonas's review against another edition

Could not get past

the spanking scene

and the seemingly sudden change of Jamie completely. Suddenly he was

constantly pushing for sex, with Claire thinking something like "he's impossible to deny" and other similar sentiments...I'm pretty sure she flat-out says no at one point and he doesn't stop.

and I just can't do it. Went from enjoying this to being disgusted in a span of 50 pages. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault