Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Try by Dennis Cooper

2 reviews

cwzw's review

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Like watching a kid claw at the walls of a bottomless pit, but they're slick with the heinous shit that grows in those dark places. Escape may be impossible, but he can still try.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Incest, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Addiction, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Excrement, Fatphobia, Rape, Trafficking, and Vomit

Minor: Transphobia

nickreallylovestoread's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Dennis Cooper is not for the faint of heart. The third entry of the George Miles Cycle focuses on the emotional response, mainly to sexual abuse/pedophilia. Graphic sex and uncomfortable descriptions run rampant in this story, but Ziggy shines through as a complex, emotional character who shines in a world bent on snuffing him out and reducing him to a husk. 'Enjoy' isn't the word to describe this, but Cooper effectively communicates complex themes through the voicing of teenaged characters acting out either creatively or in self-destructive facets. There are some incredibly morally reprehensible characters in this piece, be warned.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Torture, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Incest, Gore, Grief, Gaslighting, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, Child abuse, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction