Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

13 reviews

bswanntastic's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

don't skip the epilogue or author's notes, they close out the novel really well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Minor: Child abuse, Animal cruelty, and Violence

rmfickfack's review

emotional informative inspiring sad tense fast-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Police brutality, Gore, Murder, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Torture, and Violence

ktame001's review

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Grief, War, Torture, Death, Genocide, and Child abuse

Moderate: Cancer, Physical abuse, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Gun violence

bringmybooks's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

One more finished for my #12BooksRecommendedBy12Friends challenge and the further we get into the year the more amazed I am that I haven’t already read some of these books - especially this one.

✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷

This was a stunningly researched and unbearably heartbreaking book based on the grim reality of decades of oppression felt by the Romanian people during the latter half of the 20th century, and while it was hard to read, it also felt really necessary.

I was familiar with a bit of Romanian history prior to reading this book, but after reading this I realized just how much I didn’t know. I have such an appreciation for well researched historical fiction novels because they not only give me an idea of what was happening throughout the time periods & locales they are written in, but also the urge to do research on my own to learn and understand more (and absolutely ALL of Ruta Sepetys' books have done just this).

This book reminded me of Salt to the Sea in that it had short chapters, some choppy (on purpose) sentence structure, and once you were invested (happened at about 50pgs for me), you’re not going to put it down until you finish. (Unlike Salt to the Sea, this book only had one POV.)

100% recommended by me and now maybe I should read Fountains of Silence??? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Physical abuse, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Death, War, Police brutality, Murder, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Rape

kpoppe's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Torture, Police brutality, and Murder

hkantola11's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Genocide, Child abuse, Child death, and Death

ana_maria5's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Excrement, Violence, Police brutality, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail

violet_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

I can't believe I waited this long to read a book by Ruta Sepetys! What an amazing author, I was completely immersed in the story. The characters are so well written that they are all brought to life. Even secondary characters are more than just props for the main characters. Really loved this one and I can't wait to read more by Sepetys.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, War, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, and Gore

Moderate: Excrement, Torture, Grief, and Blood

nairam1173's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? Yes

4.5

A masterful book. This is what historical fiction should be: a door to the unseen and forgotten, and a reminder of how human they were, and how human we are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Death, Excrement, War, and Grief

kimveach's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

This is a fascinating story of Romania in the late 1980s under the dictatorship of Ceausescu.  Under Ceausescu's system, many people became informers.  It was a country where no one could be trusted, including your friends and family.  We've heard about the orphanages, but this young adult story tells more about what happened to the rest of the people living there.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Medical content, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Genocide, War, Cancer, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship