Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

6 reviews

greenwillow77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

When I pick up a book for the first time, I have a routine- I read the back cover, see if I like the idea of the book; then a random page or two to see if the writing interests me; then the inside front pages to see if there are interesting pull quotes, then I skim the author bio if there is one, because sometimes it will offer a crumb of information about the person the author wants to appear as to you. In the case of this book, my edition opens with the fact the author was “raised by two mothers.” That’s sweet, right? It’s hardly unusual now, but it’s nice to see he credits his parents enough to mention them first, & f’ yeah for visibility. 

Then I read the book, & I realised why this fact above all others would be what stuck like a splinter in my brain. There is no way to sugarcoat or avoid the violent, monstrous misogyny in the language & abusive behaviour that Turtle both lives with & has internalised. Even as she grows more & more aware of it, it rushes out of the story in punishing current that hurls you towards an ending that looms with the inevitability of a tsunami. 

It would be easy for me to tell you how appalling Turtle’s father is in intricate & fine detail, but like true crime finding delight in the supposed intricacies of the crimes of men who kill women, his humanity, grief, his ability to see the environmental disaster the world faces, feel like giving him credit he doesn’t deserve. 

& perhaps that is the skill here, to take someone who ultimately deserves everything he gets, & occasionally think he might have a microcopic glimmer of humanity. To take a story of unrelenting,  visceral, hardship & abuse, & set it against a landscape that shimmers with beauty. Nature is not kind, but it is gorgeous. Above all, that kept me reading through the darkness & grinding cruelty even as Turtle begins to resist her father’s rule. 

The are echoes of “The Wasp Factory” here, & hints of “Deliverance” (which is name checked in the text, very meta.) This is a genuinely well written book, I can’t argue with the skill or the story telling even when it stumbles- the romantic plot feels clumsy but perhaps that is more down to reflecting on Turtle’s own inexperience. What I can’t reconcile in myself is that this is a story written by a man, about the graphic abuse & isolation of a girl by her father, & for however well written & beautiful it can be, it still boils down to my discomfort at that fact. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pregnancy and Abandonment

Minor: Drug use

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

klstock_'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Medical trauma, and Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Pregnancy

vinnyvince's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death, Grief, and Death of parent

rainb0wreads's review against another edition

dark 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

1.0

Look man, i try to be so nice when it comes to my reviews, but this is genuinely one of the most disgusting books ive ever read. It’s not even the relationship dynamic between Turtle and her dad that disgusts me, it’s simply the way that the author has written turtle and her experiences. It’s like the guy is trying to romanticize sexual assault and it’s gross. Not only that, but he victimized turtle in a way that tries the take all the blame from her assaulter and make it seem like it’s simply because that’s just how Turtle is. AND (yep I’m still going) the writing is so convoluted. The author writes like he assumes everyone knows exactly what he’s talking about. It feels like a research dump so he could get a load of fancy words in there and feel smarter than everyone. Strangely the writing makes the story feel like it’s geared towards men…which makes the whole conversation EVEN WORSE!! Look, if you’re gonna write about the abuse of a 14 year old girl, please do it right. This book had so much potential, and it touched on a lot of good mental health topics in light of abuse, but it’s still making turtle romanticize her assault which victims DO NOT DO!! I’m honestly shocked this book is so well liked. There are so many problems with it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment