Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

30 reviews

ladyheather10's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

jamiereadsbooks's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

anxiousnachos's review against another edition

dark tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

4.5 stars.

Did I turn almost 30 and then start unintentionally reading several books that examine the horrific monstrosity of motherhood, my deep fear of having a child when you are clearly not suited to having one, and cementing my desire to not have children.

This is incredible storytelling, despite the lack of plot. It is a character study of a mother through her eyes as she raises a son she hates (and loves) in unequal measure. Interspersed with short extracts from characters who witness the events unfold around this family, we see the story of a queer family revealed in new light. It is a visceral and humid study of the unreliable narrator, expertly told. Very dark and very horrific and had me on the edge of my seat in horror throughout. It has cemented Kristen Arnott as one of my favourite contemporary writers.

Content warnings: emotional and financial abuse, toxic relationship, child abuse, cheating, animal cruelty, sexual assault, attempted kidnapping

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping

belovedb33's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This (audio)book had me gasping multiple times. When I didn’t think it would go there, it did. I really enjoyed the complexity of the characters and seeing how time impacted the family dynamics. 

When I finished the book, I still had plenty of questions. 

When did Sammie move out? What happened with Monika and Megan? These aspects that seemed to be so important to the plot were just forgotten at the end.

 

I wish that I could have gotten Samson’s or Monika’s perspective at the end— I think that would have allowed for a conclusion to many of the plot strands that were just left hanging. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Animal cruelty and Kidnapping

paigeno's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Miscarriage

Minor: Kidnapping and Car accident

anxiousbookclub's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective tense fast-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

alexiswiththefreckles's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I’m pretty sure I felt unsettled the entire time I read this book, which maybe was the goal? The unreliable narration intermixed with other character’s perspectives really had me thinking - what on earth is happening? - the entire time. I haven’t read a lot of books where I do not like the main narrator at all  but still enjoyed the book, so I take that as a testament to Arnett’s excellent writing and storytelling. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

cody's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

ngl i kind of related to a few of sammie’s thoughts/behaviors toward her heavily neurodivergent-coded son and that’s SCARY

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Ableism, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Child abuse, Death, and Emotional abuse

opossumom's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Child death and Pedophilia

nicolepaul_ine's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.75

I’m just so confused as to what I just read. ..  I made some notes halfway through reading this that I’ll post here: 
White teeth

I don’t like the cliches of queer life - might be the reality for the author though but I wish the book had taken the portrayal of queer beyond the stereotypes that are already out there…

The characters are super unlikeable which I understand is the point but I personally just get more excited to read a book with at least one character I like. 

Also there are a Bunch of random events that never get mentioned again - attempted kidnapping, swimming lessons where sammie cheats on her wife, therapy and stalking the neighbor (okay most of these come back later in the book but like too late??)

The amount of times there is drunk driving blows my mind - is this normal to some people? I don’t understand it at all!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping