Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon

7 reviews

eloise_vi's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Bullying, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Colonisation, Grief, Child abuse, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, and Sexual assault

modernmatilda's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Wow, this book. I picked it up on a whim after seeing it on Novel Neighbors bookstagram page. Read the first four pages in the store and couldn't leave without it. 

It took me a minute to get past the over use of 60s slang, but when I got into the emotional scenes with Web and Johnathan, I wouldn't escape the book's pull. I just wanted Web and Johnathan to be happy!!! 

This book made me cry, a lot. I felt big emotions while reading it. There were also scenes that felt just like a David Bowie song. 

I really, really loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Alcohol, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug use, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Violence

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This came recommended to me by a coworker. I really liked the historical setting which lent itself to a lot of the issues and topics covered by the author.
The main character was likeable and I loved the addition of pop culture and music references. 
I'm not Indigenous or Two-Spirit so I can't speak to whether the representation will ring true and authentic to folks who are, but I think the author tried to be inclusive and respectful of their experiences without stepping on toes and depicting it too intimately.
It's a sweet love story with lots of dark content but a hopeful ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Bullying, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Medical content, Racism, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: War and Police brutality

conversion "therapy"

foreverinastory's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This was so good but ow my heart.

Rep: white gay male MC, Native American (Oglala Lakota Nation) gay male love interest, Black biracial cishet female side character, a couple Native American (Oglala Lakota Nation) side characters.

CWs: bullying, homomisia/homophobia, racism, alcoholism, addiction, attempted sexual assault, racial slurs, violence, xenophobia, medical trauma, electroshock therapy, conversion therapy, hate crime, past mentions of police brutality and murder, death of parent, alcohol consumption, drug use, torture, child abuse. Moderate: consensual sexual content, pedophilia, colonisation, emotional abuse, misogyny, transmisia/transphobia. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Drug use, Violence, Medical trauma, Hate crime, Police brutality, Murder, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Bullying, Xenophobia, Medical content, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Torture, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content, Pedophilia, Colonisation, Misogyny, Transphobia, and Emotional abuse

e_reader's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book shattered my heart and put it back together again. Jonathan and Web’s story pulls at all of the heart strings, and I just wanted to give Jonathan a hug. The book ends with a little bit of hope and some tearful moments. 

In particular I found the conversion therapy and Web being Indigenous as central to the story and they definitely  add to the book. Contrary to what some people said, I actually really like this meandering style of writing, it gives it a poetic tone. And the imagery is just fantastic, don’t skip over the details. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Self harm

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Self harm

andrealeeeigh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Blood, Child abuse, Colonisation, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Medical content, Mental illness, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Violence

seaweedsharks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism and Child abuse

Minor: Body shaming and Pedophilia