Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

68 reviews

mackenzieabraham's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Bullying and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, and Death of parent

alexashabit's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

kayleejanes's review

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

jrae1334's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Homophobia

emilywemily6's review

emotional reflective medium-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

4.5

This book was emotionally heartbreaking but also heartwarming. Many tears were shed, both joyful and devastated. It’s mostly a story about hockey and how the members of a small rural community put hockey above all else, even morals (sometimes). It was hard to understand who was who are the beginning of this book because the cast of characters is huge and the backstories blend together, but the characters became more distinct over time. This writing is very different than Backman’s more lighthearted, fun writing. Lots of really good one-liners about moral implications of people’s thoughts and actions. This book felt very human, but was a bit difficult to read sometimes. Read when you are in a good place personally! Also winter vibes because of hock eye and the setting.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Violence, Medical content, and Classism

Minor: Gun violence

haaaleybeee's review

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.75

This book is filled with juicy small town drama, but big TW for a sexual assault being a huge part of the rising and falling action. 
I am hypercritical of fiction that is going to make SA a major or minor plot point, this book doesn’t receive any less criticism. 

While I thought the flaws of Beartown and its inhabitants were enthralling and kept me hooked, I couldn’t help but feel like the SA lack of resolve seemed weak. However maybe that’s the point? Overall was a decent book but a little hard to push through at times. If you like insight into many characters lives, a morally gray environment, and, lest we forget, hockey; this book may be for you. Definitely an out of my comfort zone read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

reddeddy's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

carlytenille's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

branamalyssa10's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

A fucking gut wrenching masterpiece.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alienexpert's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, and Toxic friendship