Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay

21 reviews

chemistryreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

4.5

This book is a difficult read, which is to be expected from its description. Having different narrators was a good choice and there were many different styles of stories, which I appreciated. I wish some stories would have been in a different order, but the stories themselves were powerful. Sadly, I think most women could identify with parts of these stories, often with how we are raised as women and told how to think about sex. This book would be a good read (or listen) for anyone who knows a victim of sexual violence because it offers so many perspectives and stories. It also contains many graphic stories so it should be read with caution, as the reader should always care for their mental health first. 4.5⭐️, ⚠️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Sexual harassment

ellsnp's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.75

Methodical inclusion of a variety of voices as it pertains to sexual violence, eplxploitation, exploration, and adativity. Layered and dynamic, as well as diverse, points of view and moral compasses. The anthologies in this book provides a lot of teaching points and does a phenomenal job of rejecting mindless rumination without purpose. Life's not always fair. At one point, the palpable frustration and certainty told by one of those authors had me screaming alongside her in shock and dismay. I was reminded of just how broken and misogynistic the therapeutic world can and has been, which can lead to haphazard interactions od damaging interventions interspliced with effective/hope-giving counseling. This book was uncomfortable but really an amazing/expansive read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

kshertz's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

This is an emotional journey of the ripple effects of sexual assault. It is both healing and triggering. Some essays reached me deeper than others but they were all reflective and shine a light on the culture we have that allows these sexual assaults to continue. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

lindsayvale's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

carolinebella's review against another edition

dark informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, and Sexual harassment

jessiiiru's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Difficult to read, but so important.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

rebeccaquinton's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

isaarusilor's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting

colourbandit's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Not That Bad was a really, really powerful read, discussing the many stories from a hugely diverse group of women and their experiences with rape culture, sexual violence, and harassment. It saddened and disappointed me every time I picked it up to read another section, about just how horrific our culture can be and the experiences of too many women within that. 

There were some elements of hope, with changes in attitudes having gone through these experiences, understanding that we need to alter how we raise our children and react to rape culture. However, it is seemingly so ingrained in society that we have a huge way to go still. 

The stories were amazingly written, emotional, and incredibly powerful, with such variety. It’s such an important read, although it comes with quite a large trigger warning for anything relating to any of the topics mentioned above. If you feel able to, you just HAVE to read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment