Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

184 reviews

lilaccoconut_bookclub's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Absolutely incredible, but not for the faint of heart (see content warnings). Toni Morrison paints a tragic picture of a black girl growing up in post-Depression, pre-Civil Rights Movement America whose surroundings and generational trauma lead her to self-loathing. Rather than being banned by schools, it should be part of the curriculum. The subject matter is heavy but it presents a very real reality for many POC, even today.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Incest

charisw's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Grief, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Rape, Incest, Pregnancy, and Sexism

charley0796's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

A very dark reflection of the impact of racism and stereotypical beauty. 
The novel has a good plot but multiple, seemingly disjointed narrators which can make it hard to follow

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

br14nn4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Animal death, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Incest, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Emotional abuse

kyliebennett's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

this book was heavy and dark but absolutely necessary. morrison did a fantastic job with the childlike portrayals of racism and violence. punched me in the gut i will never recover.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Rape, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, and Incest

mattyvreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

5.0

An absolutely harrowing and hugely important piece of literature. Possibly the saddest book I have ever read.

Morrison’s words are pure poetry. The issues she discusses in this novel are still relevant today. Not just horrifying, but horrifyingly true.

Everyone should read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Rape, Racism, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Animal death, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Misogyny, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, and Alcoholism

manoushp109's review against another edition

5.0

i actually don’t even have words …… it’s just too good. i will say CHECK TW !!!!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

sarina_klinst's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

This book broke me! 
But I beleave everybody should read IT...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Racism, Classism, Cursing, Sexual content, Rape, Misogyny, Miscarriage, and Incest

samants's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

4.5

A heartbreaking story of generational trauma, racial self-loathing, and the destruction of societal beauty standards. Read this one quickly but will be thinking about it for a while. A hard read but an important one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Animal death, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

unawake0442's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

5.0

Toni Morrison is a legend for a reason.

As I read, I kept thinking about the author's foreword, in which Morrison says she wanted the reader not to pity Pecola, but to examine their role in smashing her. Reading actively, with this in mind was eye-opening. How many times do we pity someone in worse circumstances than our own but do nothing to help or look away from our role in that oppression, intentional or not?

The Bluest Eye feels like a warning. It is a warning to those who tore Pecola down, the would-be protectors who failed her, the friends who were busy trying to get by themselves and let her fall through the cracks, the strangers who watched and did nothing but make remarks. And, of course, to Pecola herself.

There are many ways in which we fit all of these roles. I know I am, at times, perpetually busy and haven't reached out to loved ones as often as I should. I've stood in front of the mirror, wanting more, hurting myself with that want. I've pitied others without doing enough to be helpful.

The Bluest Eye feels just as essential today as ever.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, and Racism

Minor: Mental illness