Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Girl in Pieces, by Kathleen Glasgow

18 reviews

anton13's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

It was a roller coaster. I’m sad to say that some characters I liked did seem to end up as kinda the bad guys and I was really hoping they wouldn’t. When I first picked up this book I thought this would be a sad book all the way through but it has proved me wrong. Despite the main theme being about mental illness it’s still joyful at times and it helped lighten the mood(?). I really enjoyed it and it was interesting to read too. Also I made a playlist of all existing songs that they mention. So here you go:

Star -Belly
Nervous breakdown - Black Flag
Is it really so strange? - the smiths
Baby, let me follow you down - Bob Dylan 
The whole Astral Weeks album by Van Morrison
T.B. Sheets - Van Morrison
The whole Nashville Skyline album by Bob Dylan 
You’re the one that I want - Grease
Tangled up in blue - Bob Dylan 
Needle in the hay - Elliott Smith
Christmas in prison - John Prine

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Drug use, Alcohol, Grief, Violence, and Mental illness

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Injury/injury detail, Addiction, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual assault

bookgal1990's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Grief, Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual violence, Body horror, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Child abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

This book is very triggering so be warned!

ryankaybee'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Toxic relationship, Blood, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Vomit, Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Grief, and Mental illness

hayley07's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

bookkissth's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Blood, Self harm, Addiction, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide, Dysphoria, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Injury/injury detail, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Slavery

Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, Cancer, Vomit, Physical abuse, and Medical trauma

lauryn_04's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Injury/injury detail, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Death, Medical content, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Self harm, Suicide, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Violence, and Bullying

alic_is_bored's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is one god damb angelic book ❤️❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Drug use, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Drug abuse

bookswithlauren's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Determining an overall rating for this book was difficult as I am conflicted. On one hand, taboo topics such as self harm should definitely be explored and represented more in literature but on the other hand, it needs to be handled with accuracy and care because of the potential impact on readers.

There were things I liked about this book and things I did not like. Firstly, as much as I wouldn't wish the experience on anyone, I am glad the author is writing from personal experience. There is nothing worse that false representation, stereotypes and under researching when is comes to mental health representation within literature. The personal experience of the author made the incredibly important representation and experiences explored in the book real and accurate. However, despite the authors real life experience I don't think the topic was handled with the delicate nature it should have been. I do not think we should sugar coat mental health by any means but I also think the graphic descriptions of self harm throughout this book were unnecessary and extremely triggering. There were many points during the book when I question why the particular content I was reading was included. Paragraphs detailing different types of self harm, different mechanisms of injury and different implements to use in order to self harm were just completely unnecessary to raise awareness. Some ailments of the book read as a how to and I cannot comprehend why the author would include such things know how damaging it could be for those reading.

I also think there were too many main plotlines happening within the book that were never fully explored and it took hold of the main focus rather than it being on the main characters journey and experience during her recovery. The toxic relationship between the 17 year old main character and a 27 year old side character added nothing to the plotline other than yet another trauma and experience of manipulation and exploitation for our main character.  Focusing and really exploring just a couple of trauma's rather than all of them could really have improved the plotline and kept the focus on raising awareness about self harm, mental health and recovery.

There are not many books out there that approach the topic of self harm and that needs to change. I appreciate the representation and the awareness. However, I would be hesitant to recommend this book to anyone (especially anyone vulnerable or with personal experience with self harm) due to how graphic and triggering it is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

goldyyy's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/injury detail, Gore, Death of parent, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Blood, and Addiction

Moderate: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

johannslauren15's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I think this book really hooked me in the beginning, how the author could write so beautifully and intricately about the issues Charlie is dealing with. Also I think reading about a "mental institution" to help her and other women through their issues is super unique and fascinating. (I've never read something about this, cool to see how they coupe and deal with past trauma).

Spoiler

though I think past the 100 pg. mark it goes downhill and I got lost, confused, and bored/uninterested. I'm not just saying this because she has to live a "normal life" and fight against her addiction it just felt like a whole lotta nothing was happening and she was just suppose to wrestle with her own internal demons on her own. I think the author could have written this section still being interesting even with the temptation, thoughts, art, work, and her relationship with Riley. Maybe just my opinion though. Even how it ended pretty abruptly and felt something missing especially from Ellis, if you know then you know! ;-) (updated reviews part: I forgot to mention but honestly f*** Mikey like he can go suck a d*** or something. I'm sorry but this man barely did anything for her while also continuing to bring up Ellis and her past to trigger her more and distract her! Like wtf what kind of "friend" does that and runs away to play for his band then to get married while all he say to her is if she's going to be alright? I'm not just saying this so he will stop his lifd for her and not live. But still like what, excuse me but that's not a real friend. The fact, that in her past he doesn't sufficiently help her and she eventually will buy drugs for them is sold to be trafficked or whatever. Then he just tell her to be ok with this!!! =_=🙄 I like Evan better at the end at least he makes some progress, isn't a total dusch and is owning up to his problems not pretending to be perfect. If I had to give Charlie any advice it would to keep up with Evan and stay around Blue. Did anyone else got weird creepy vibes from Ariel? Ok it was just me, got it! 👍

Spoiler

still very convicting and helps to understand the issues and problems many people face. Please check trigger warnings and be prepared for some darkness. But very much love overall.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking