Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

40 reviews

sventura's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Ripped my heart to pieces.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Abandonment

mariana_ct08's review against another edition

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, 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.

---

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

readbybetty_'s review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

I need to go and sit in the sun for a while after reading this…

4* for the writing, characterisation and world building but 1* for enjoyability based on the subject matter (check tw’s) and bizarre choice of language at times (iykyk)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Violence

Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail

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. 

---

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

yilliun's review against another edition

dark 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

2.0

Let’s start with the good things: Tallent does a wonderful job of making you feel like you are THERE with the characters and can construct beautiful scenes through his EXTREMELY descriptive writing style. Sometimes I felt like I was walking with Turtle through the woods and on the beach.

The not so good: this book lacked the nuance necessary to approach the topics of child abuse and incest. 

Much of the time it felt like the author was writing from a totally different perspective than a 14 year old girl’s. I think there was a good story here, but there wasn’t enough compassion for Turtle. I understand that Tallent tried to walk the line between the deep care and fear Turtle held for her father. In the instances where we are immersed in Turtle’s stream of consciousness, Tallent excels at illustrating how the abuse permeates all aspects of Turtle’s life. He misses the mark more often than not. Specifically, the use of the word “pussy” for a 14 year old’s vagina is wholly inappropriate. It slants the scenes away from abuse and towards the experience being sexually gratifying (which is sadistic in its own way). Because of these scenes, I almost DNF’d this book. The twist ending did suck me back in.

I do think it was a satisfying ending to have Turtle kill Martin, her father. Turtle living with Anna in the end felt very Matilda/ Miss Honey dynamic to me

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

There are multiple graphic depictions of incest and physical abuse.

jae_lou's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

jkmoriarty's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Very disturbing in a way I did not enjoy reading. It’s very well written, but honestly I cannot recommend reading it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault

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. 

---

Content Warnings

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

hat2daback's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Kidnapping, and Sexual harassment