Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Lost Boy by Christina Henry

14 reviews

peeshpish's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Gun violence, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

priscillarobock's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

unicornofblue's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Rape

bcsylve's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Kidnapping, and Alcohol

strawbeb's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

This book was simultaneously NOT what I thought it'd be, and EXACTLY what I thought it'd be. As soon as I heard the premise and saw a few snippets, I was "hooked". And while I did have a fantastic time, maybe I set the bar too high?

Christina Henry is an addictive writer. Whether I was in love with what I was reading, or if I felt it was lacking, regardless I always turned the page. And I ended up finishing the entire book in two days (would've been one, but it arrived in the mail late in the evening.)

On "one hand", Lost Boy accomplishes exactly what it promises. It's a dark twisted version of the original tale. Heroes are the villains, and villains are the heroes. There is A LOT of death, blood, violence, psychological abuse, and then some. And none of it feels gratuitous. There's always a narrative purpose for the dark deeds that are done. Christina Henry writes "darkness" excellently.

Alongside this, the plot is intense and keeps you engaged.

One of the most compelling elements is that you know Jamie/Hook and Peter will survive at the end. They must or else there'd be no story. Because you know this, and you know Henry knows this, the curious and shocking ways she writes the "in between" is made all the more impactful. There are fates worse than death.

On the "other hook", there were flaws I noticed. For one, while Jamie is an endearing character that you can't help but root for, at times he felt a bit like a Gary Stu. Perfect and amazing at everything, with everyone looking up to him all the time, and complimenting him at practically every turn.

There's even a surprise female character, and of course her and Jamie have a romance. Because Jamie has both brains, brawn, and now "the girl".

The pacing also felt disjointed at times. Peter wastes nearly five (5) ENTIRE pages going on about a story about a crocodile. I did understand the significance of the tale, but I truly doubt it needed that many pages and details to get across. This was the worst time the pacing felt terribly slow.

But towards the later half of the story, a vital character suddenly switches sides. It's incredibly abrupt and feels like it comes out of nowhere. And then, barely even 3 pages later, the character returns back to their original side again. It felt like this might've been a scene Henry brainstormed early into production, then got further into writing only to realize she couldn't fit it in, but out of sheer determination, crammed the scene into the plot anyways.

All in all, the book definitely has flaws and is far from perfect. But what it does well, it does really well and it will keep you on the edge of your seat regardless of what chapter you're on. Flaws aside, I do wish Christina Henry would return to this world and these characters again. For a sequel sounds like it would be a wonderfully grand adventure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Terminal illness, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and War

Warning to readers that have arachnophobia.

There are creatures in the book that are basically Giant Sp*ders. The descriptions of them are disgusting. They aren't focused on TOO heavily, but they do get time in the spotlight throughout the book.

Several mentions, but fortunately only two major encounters.

aely's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, Abandonment, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Alcohol

mercydesy's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This book gives you a whole new perspective of peter pan and his lost boys and it's truly enjoyable to read.

The beginning started of really slow and reading through the first half of the book was a bit of a pain, because nothing important really happend and the book didn't really get to the point. Many scenes were way too long and could be shortend a bit.

I loved Jamies development! His anger and annoyance for Peter were pretty obvious since the beginning.

Despite that, you could clearly feel the pain that boy went through and the moment he fell completly out of love with Peter and finally started to act like that and  to grow into an adult 

The book was brutally written and at some points it was repulsive and disgusting to read if you keep in mind that 8-12 year old boys did those gruesome things like slaughtering others without a bit of mercy. This writing made the book really thrilling and fascinating for me. It was very gripping at the second half of the book because of the fast pace and hoping that your favorite side characters do not brutally die like most of the others. 
The fast pace at the end made it also very enjoyable to read and even though we know the ending of the book since the beginning, there are many small plottwists and turns that keep you occupied.

All in all I would recommend this book and encourage to keep reading even if the first half is a bit slow, it is  worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Alcohol

icarusandthesun's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

the things i would do and give to be able to experience this book again for the first time...

i first read lost boy around 2 years ago, give or take a few months. and i was in love. baffled. shocked. totally immersed and utterly impressed by all of henry's brutal, brilliant and exciting ideas.
[this was the book that sparked my passion for re-tellings (of peter pan and others)!]
jamie and peter's relationship is so frighteningly interesting and nuanced; the manipulation, the jealousy, the betrayal, the absolute madness - i loved it all.

the book is very character-driven, and with that i mean most of the book is the characters getting slaughtered or slaughtering each other. the plot beyond that was scarce, but that's okay because the pages were filled with other things, namely clever ideas, fantastic revelations and intrigues (but sometimes, sadly, also kinda lengthy scenes).

there's only one thing i didn't like, neither back then nor now, and it's the whole thing surrounding sal.

i didn't hate her character in and of itself (i guess she was even meant to debunk certain female stereotypes), but i hated the effect she had on all the others and the story.
i hated how the revelation that she's a girl seemed to change everything, from the boys' thinking to their language to even the narration (suddenly noting her physique and random blushing and so forth). and i hated how jamie came to the very quick realisation that he loved her right there on the battle ground. it was strange.
her whole arc didn't fit into the story and she brought a certain aspect to the book that i didn't enjoy. perhaps it was the romance that was obviously inevitable (because she's the only girl and jamie the main boy, which is just so stupid). perhaps it was the possibility of a happy ending. i don't know. the book seemed to lose its tone and charm as soon as jamie fell for her and even became a little unenjoyable from this revelation on until her inconsequential death. it got better after that, though.

but the ending was great. like really. it was impactful and so so SO thrilling.
still one of my favorite christina henry books, even after nearly 2 years.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Gun violence and Vomit

cozywithraven's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I love this book. I've read it twice now, and it has a really wonderful way of pulling you in. It leans into what we already know and accept as canon and finds the threads that pull the narrative into a dark twist without completely re-writing the characters and making it into something unrecognizable. I wish some parts were more fleshed out, the fairies and pirates especially. The book goes a great job of showing the island itself, Peter and Jamie's relationship, and Jamie as he grows. But I feel like some of the magic is lost,

the mermaids aren't really described and only appear once, the pirates are only interacted with once. The Many Eyes are a cool touch and I like how they're described. And the ending doesn't tie together the crocodile eating Hook's hand, or Hook becoming captain or even just arriving at the pirate camp.

the ending just felt really stunted compared to the test of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit and Kidnapping

Narcissism

kathigusi's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail