Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

77 reviews

staticspider's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

2.0

This book is marketed as a horror book but there is a difference between horror and depravity... this isn't horror. One thing I will say is that they depicted abuse perfectly. Unfortunately there is no help for those struggling in this story. Trigger warning for those interested: child abuse, sexual abuse, suicide, incest, cannibalism, victim blaming, and a large amount of undiagnosed/ untreated mental health issues. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, Incest, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment

oleaceae_18's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

This book is pretty unhinged, I was truly not expecting things to go where they went at the end. Really made me think about societal expectations and pressures and how it affects mental health. Particularly gender roles, misogyny, childhood trauma, and sexual abuse and its affect on a person. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Sexual content, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Gore, Mental illness, and Violence

child sex, cannibalism

frenchkey's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

4.75

This is probably the most disturbing book I've ever read. Hugely compelling, fantastically translated and completely horrifying. Murata creates so much sympathy for the characters and then tests exactly how long that can last. This book will haunt me for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Incest, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Mental illness, Child abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Addiction, Blood, and Drug use

touchmyrobe8's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Body shaming, Blood, Cannibalism, Incest, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Rape, Pedophilia, Murder, Gore, Eating disorder, and Child abuse

lunchtime11's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-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

1.0

This book could be for some people, but it was absolutely not for me. Unnecessarily disturbing, grotesque, and vivid scenes without the internal reflection to match. Could not properly appreciate the themes and concepts explored, which are indeed worthwhile, due to feeling sick from the violence (physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, you name it). Was not prepared for this book based on cover and description - needed to read trigger warnings and gain more insight before picking it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Incest, Bullying, Rape, Self harm, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Gore, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts

ghulsona's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Rape, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Murder, Incest, Gore, Child abuse, and Cannibalism

Minor: Vomit, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

c_alma_d's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship

emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Uncomfortable and something that you're not going to forget for a long time. I'm not sure that's a good thing though. The first half was traumatic and the second... I don't even know? Not a nice read but well written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Violence, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, and Mental illness

cynthia_books's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse

plumdustsuns's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Blood, Gore, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Violence, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, Suicide, and Toxic relationship