Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

La isla de las mujeres del mar by Lisa See

18 reviews

biblioghoul's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

corriejn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

4.75

I checked out this book based on a recommendation, and because I'd heard of the haenyeo before and was interested in learning more. Clearly I didn't look much into the details of the book beforehand, as I started it expecting nonfiction-- when it was apparent it was a novel, that was fine and I just adjusted that expectation. The story is still very informative about the lives and traditions of the Korean women sea-divers. What I wish I had realized beforehand, though, is that the book covers much of mid-19th-century Korean history and includes some really graphic and traumatic descriptions of atrocities committed during occupation and wartime (such content is mainly in the latter half of the book). It is still a powerful and artfully told story, but do be aware of that going in, and don't pick this one up if you're looking for a light read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Medical content

elly29's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring 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

A slow burn of a novel, that suddenly dissolves. I loved that it was about women divers (in Jeju, an island off of South Korea's coast). The best part of the book was the society of haenyeo -- as a woman, who works, (and who just got some scuba certification), it was a joy and delight to hear of classic gender roles turned on their head.

Junbu, Young-Sook's husband, seemed like a woman's fantasy of a husband. 

I also didn't know about the Bukchon Massacre, or anything about Jeju Island and the struggle between insurgent and anti-communist government forces. There is a brutal scene that involves lots of things like rape, torture, murder, and child murder. (Also makes me sick at the thought that these things are happening in Ukraine.)

In the end, this is a story about diving, survival, and forgiveness. I love that the sea is a constant, a grandmother who will never leave you even when everything else has changed. I like the phrase, "To understand everything is to forgive." Using Young-Sook and her life as an example of what we should not do: may we be patient, may we ask questions, may we never assume, may we be perceptive.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Torture, Police brutality, and War

Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

agnesg's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Toxic relationship

mvvelde's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Review to come!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Violence, Police brutality, and Grief

Minor: Domestic abuse, Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Murder

barefootamy's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Excrement, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

Minor: Rape

sunpuddles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ writing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ insightfulness
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ readability
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ plot development
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ character
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ pace

This book was both well-written and difficult to read. The story of family love and friendship were beautiful, but also heart-wrenching and the scenes of death and torture during the Korean War were horrendous. I had to stop reading and read a few other, more light-hearted books in the middle. I’m glad I finished it though. The story of the haenyeo was so interesting and I loved the theme of strong women looking after their families and controlling their destiny. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Grief

sarah984's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I liked this novel a lot. It was full of interesting historical and cultural details of a location and period that I didn't know much about beforehand but in an easily understandable way. It definitely felt like it was written with respect and love for the real people of Jeju.

The overarching story about forgiveness and seeing other people's perspectives was good but it was also very similar to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by the same author, which was kind of weird for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Trafficking