Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Four by Four by Sara Mesa

5 reviews

gzaborski's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

While I was prepared to dislike this book after read the extremely dark and brutal first section, the second and third parts of this book proved that the (at times heavy-handed and hard-to-read) topics of exploitation could be used to show the ways power and corruption perpetrate each other in a society that refuses to condemn the actions of the powerful.
While I do think this story could have been told with the events having not been so extremely brutal, and for some, triggering, I understand why the author made the choices to write the book the way she did. The final section concludes the story well, but is a bit repetitive alongside the continued discussion of those same issues in section two. Would recommend, but only after considering trigger warnings and being extremely aware of what one is getting into.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Gore, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Alcohol, Sexual content, Homophobia, Self harm, Bullying, and Fatphobia

annas_bookshelf_'s review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.5

overall very disturbing with an unsatisfying conclusion. check full list of trigger warnings before reading!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Death, Physical abuse, Animal death, Sexism, Bullying, and Suicide

Moderate: Murder and Violence

Minor: Homophobia

slimychimera's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Self harm, Suicide, Classism, Animal cruelty, Murder, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Bullying, Animal death, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, and Fatphobia

Minor: Trafficking, Medical trauma, Vomit, Racism, Homophobia, and Misogyny

chimera999's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Bullying, Animal death, Murder, Animal cruelty, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Classism, Child death, Gaslighting, and Self harm

Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Sexual violence

Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Misogyny, and Vomit

alylentz's review

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Adult/minor relationship