Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Flores en el ático by V.C. Andrews

19 reviews

nastjausagi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Incest

Minor: Child death and Self harm

bashsbooks's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Honestly, My Sweet Audrina will always be the darling of my VC Andrews heart. But I still greatly enjoyed Flowers in the Attic, and I completely understand why people love it. Andrews is a master at the gothic novel, and even when she is predictable, it's just so compelling that you have to keep reading. Cathy is a fascinating narrator, and I could write a dissertation on the impact of her first-person perspective alone - and then a whole second one about Christopher's character development.

I am interested to see how much Andrews' writing will hold up outside of a confined space in Petals on the Wind.

Also, what the fuck is up with how Simon & Schuster reprints are marketed? The covers suck and the tagline for this book -"The Classic Story of Forbidden Love" - seems wildly off-target. Yes, there is sibling incest, but I wouldn't say that's the primary thing that this about.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Medical content, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cursing, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Racism, Xenophobia, and Alcohol

hez30's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent

mbryo's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

3.5

The author wrote so passionately in defense of incest you'd think they were incestuous themself 😭 VERY well-written though, and a compelling (albeit nauseating) read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Mental illness, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

blacksnakering's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.25

I think this book grapples with a lot of very mature themes, but covers them all very well without being overly graphic. That said though, I would recommend any readers who know themselves to not have a strong stomach for horror to veer away from this story. While the book is not really horror in nature, it carries many elements from the genre. Unlike horror, there is a persistent theme of hope in this story, and of the great determination that these children are able to have. While I would call this somewhat of a survival story though, it is less similar to The Hatchet and more like Lord of the Flies.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Rape, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body shaming, Self harm, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Misogyny, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

add_a_little_spook's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Incest, Rape, and Self harm

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Death of parent

dontforgetthelights's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

beccammartin's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

So haunting, and it hurts to read~ other than the long bouts of expose it was a fantastic thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

readerintheruemorgue's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Rape