Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

132 reviews

meganpbell's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

If slow and deadly is your poison, pick up this sumptuous, gothic fairy tale. Chokshi’s flowery prose hides teeth, claws, and a dark heart bloody with not only the fairy tales we tell each other and the secrets we keep from ourselves, but the wild reckless hope of being loved when the truth’s laid bare. This was darker than I expected and reminded me of Addie LaRue in its romance and pacing, which isn’t a great thing for me but others might love!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, Child death, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Bullying, Death, Child abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, and Abandonment

Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Eating disorder

tired_cicada's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book was absolutely INSANE and I loved every second of it! Finished in one sitting.

Gothic horror at its finest, with twists and turns that had me at the edge of my seat! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Murder, Confinement, Abandonment, and Body horror

Moderate: Death, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Pedophilia, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

matcha_pages's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

A cautionary tale of what happens when believing in the power of fairy tales becomes all consuming. 

It's hard to describe this book, other than be prepared for a very sumputious, atmospheric, and dark experience. There's a lot of flowery language and lush scenes that are meant to invoke your senses. It portrays reality in a magical breathtaking way, but slowly the cracks of something obsessive and sinister appears. 

A word of caution - one of the characters is a toxic, possessive, and dangerous person. The power this person holds over other is romanticized to fit the story. So just be warned if that triggers you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death

toodrew's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

This is hands down one of the best books I've ever read. There is very little I can say about the book without spoilers. It is better to read without knowing much about the book.

I believe this book is best suited for fantasy and fairy tale enthusiasts. 

Every element is a brushstroke in this absolute masterpiece. But be prepared for trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Incest, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

displacedcactus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-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? Yes

You can really tell this is the first "adult" novel from a YA author, especially since one of the dual timelines involves teenagers. If the idea of a story inspired by Gothics and fairy tales/folklore but set in modern times, but everything is so overwrought that nobody talks or acts like a normal person, you will probably enjoy it! I found the overwrought dialog really pulled me out of the story and the middle really sagged, but I understand why some people love it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal death, Blood, and Death of parent

The toxic friendship crosses over to abusive territory, IMHO.

longstorysteph's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, and Pedophilia

moonchild_cos's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Animal death

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Child death, Pedophilia, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, and Sexual content

dropshift5568's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Confinement, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Death, and Abandonment

intoxicatedflower's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

This book was slow, and some parts were hard to understand what the author was trying to convey.

I was thoroughly disgusted with Indigos behavior, especially during the champagne scene. Almost didn’t finish because of how disgusting that scene made me feel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Child death, Death, and Bullying

prairieraven's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body horror, Sexual content, Bullying, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pedophilia, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, and Rape