Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Eighth Life (for Brilka) by Nino Haratischwili

15 reviews

eliicapss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

heatherinjapan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book felt like my heart was ripped out multiple times and made me go through so many tumultuous emotions. Definitely not for the faint of heart and definitely has a lot of triggering sections. It explores generational trauma so deeply and so well that I found myself so intrigued in each character's stories. There are also so many things happening throughout this book that somehow all come together in the end. The author also accurately portrays how patriarchy upholds a lot of this generational trauma. We see this through a lot of the male characters, specifically through Kostja (I really came to despise him despite his somewhat "redemption" in the end.)

Though I haven't read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (and I never will), based on what others have said, this book is probably as trauma-filled as it is. So take what you will with that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Murder, and War

ssreadsintranslation's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicide and Toxic relationship

Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Abortion, and Outing

annieinthearchives's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, and Abortion

Minor: Bullying and Vomit

tabitha_isabelle's review

1.5

A history book masquerading as fiction. Studded throughout with explanatory passages detailing the nuances of the historical period, I felt that this overly ambitious work did not fulfil its promise. I enjoyed the insight it gave me into Georgian history (something I knew very little about), but could not get over the poor quality of the writing. The characterisation was especially weak - incidents seem contrived, whilst decisions lacked believability. At times the characters felt like mere caricatures. The reams of exposition did not help in this regard. 

One more thing (that hardly needs saying) a book focusing on a family in the Soviet Union in the 20th century does not need an additional something that brings people misfortune or bad luck - terrible things were happening anyway! The magical hot chocolate was redundant. 

On the whole a dissatisfying read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder