Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

29 reviews

brieflyblue's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

When I bought this book, I read the summary on the back and thought it would be a relatively lighthearted story. I could not have been more wrong. I can say, with the utmost confidence, that this was my toughest read since Lolita. Words cannot possibly do justice to my feelings in this moment. All I know is that it’s 2 A.M. and I need to vent a bit.

First, I will never understand why so many male authors write stories like this. What fascinates them so much about female suffering, and why do they seem to think they are the best people to tell these stories? It feels voyeuristic.

Martin is the worst, and I know that’s probably written intentionally, but dear god. The first 1/2 to 2/3 of this book feels slow. Call it “setting the tone” or whatever, but by the time the action started I was just so tired of Martin running his mouth and waxing poetic about how everyone and everything is terrible and how badly he wants to

kill his daughter.

Turtle is an interesting character, I’ll give you that. Her psychology and growth is the only saving grace of this novel. She is simultaneously self-aware and entirely deluded by her father’s influence. She loves and hates him. I like that she was not some perfect, meek victim, but instead someone who struggled with moral/ethical dilemmas regarding her father’s behavior and chose to act—if imperfectly.

In short, I would not recommend this book. It contains nothing that you couldn’t find elsewhere.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Moderate: War

alliereads_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark

1.0

Meandering and gratuitous trauma. I don't know why a grown man possibly thinks he could have anything insightful to say from the point of view of a little girl suffering from incest and abuse, but reading this was a great reminder of why I typically only read books written by women.

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Content Warnings

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

kellyofcali's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.5

I rapidly consumed this book, which is heart-wrenchingly dark and awful, but very well written and you just keep reading hoping that it's going to get better (I won't say whether this want comes to be). It is really, really tough, so you have to be up for that kind of horrific material, but I found myself quickly entangled in the characters and story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Alcohol

Minor: Pregnancy

hattieb2000's review against another edition

adventurous 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

Blew my mind in the worst and best possible ways. So much to unpick and absolutely gripping, especially towards the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

campirebat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.0

Beautifully written but deeply disturbing. A topic many authors never describe in-depth. Major content warnings for this one! Sexual assault, domestic violence, incest. 

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Content Warnings

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

crtnyyy's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

verlas7's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Sexual harassment

natbee's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.0

A hard read. The subject matter was hard, and it felt jarring and the amount of events in the book made me feel like I was bracing myself on a roller coaster. I don't usually shy away from hard for me.  topics but this was a bit much for me As an audio book, this was hard for me to follow the descriptions of things like guns, or medical procedures. The writing was good, and obviously got me interewted in how it would turn out, just a lot of trigger warnings on this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Medical content, and Abandonment

rshall's review against another edition

Graphic depictions of parental physical and sexual abuse. Language around slut shaming kind of

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Rape, and Sexual assault

laaneorg's review against another edition

dark emotional 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: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail