Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
22 reviews
aexileigh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Classism, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/injury detail, Slavery, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Torture, and Trafficking
pineapple_queen's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Confinement, Misogyny, Murder, Homophobia, Colonisation, Addiction, Kidnapping, Outing, Child abuse, Alcohol, Torture, Blood, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexism
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Animal cruelty, Trafficking, Slavery, Pedophilia, Murder, Mental illness, Grief, and Death
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
scottie_reads's review
- 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
The beginning set up was a little slow, but the time spent building the world and the characters pays off. I found myself become very invested in what happened to Florian and Evelyn. Once the story got going there were times that I had to put the book down and scoot back into my seat.
Maggie Tokuda-Hall tackles some very interesting themes. I love how she is able to tie in little details and make them become so meaningful.
Spoiler
One of my favorite themes that runs throughout the book is the power of stories. Reading is one of the first things that starts to pull Florian and Evelyn together."We don't read to just imagine better lives. We read to be introduced to all kinds of lives... It's an escape, and it's also a way to become more connected to everyone around you. There's power in that, you know. in understanding. It's like magic" (45).
It's no coincidence that when Florian meets the Witch, Xenobia, that they find magic is created through taking and giving stories. Xenobia instructs Florian "Powerful things, stories. if you care to listen to them" (181). The stories we tell about ourselves and about others have power and become our truth.
As a side note, I'd love to hear what people think. Does Evelyn's mother, Lady Hasegawa, actually hate her daughter or does that tie into the stories people tell themselves about others? If Lady Hasegawa hated Evelyn so much, how was it that what she taught her daughter was the exact things Evelyn needed to know to survive? Looking at you floor plans of the 900th emperor's palace.
The more time I've spent reflecting on the book to write my review the more I appreciate my experience reading it. I'm happy to give it a 4 star reading recommendation.
Graphic: Torture and Death
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, and Colonisation
Minor: Vomit and Xenophobia
malva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Murder, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, Death of parent, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Rape, Slavery, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcohol, Child death, and Sexual harassment
kaytrain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Physical abuse, Slavery, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
shadeyc's review against another edition
- 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
Side note - that cover is gorgeous.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Death, Torture, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Violence
Moderate: Classism, Blood, Grief, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse
Minor: Misogyny, Vomit, Trafficking, Lesbophobia, and Confinement
archcon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Slavery, Violence, Sexism, Classism, and Injury/injury detail
Minor: Sexual assault, Confinement, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Child death
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Blood, Colonisation, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Misogyny, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Child death
foreverinastory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rep: Japanese inspired cast. Dark skinned genderfluid queer MC, sapphic cis female MC, dark skinned male side character, nonbinary side character, indigenous cishet male side character.
CWs: Torture (water boarding), violence, blood, death, murder, slavery, alcoholism, alcohol consumption, trafficking (slaves), colonisation, gun violence, physical abuse, grief, addiction, gore, rape, injury/injury detail, misogyny, sexism, sexual assault, child death, confinement, xenophobia, general queerphobia/queermisia, drug use, emotional abuse, sexual harassment, animal cruelty (mermaids), drug abuse, child abuse, racism. Moderate: vomit, genocide recounted, pedophilia, kidnapping, death of parent, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, classism, gaslighting, war.
Graphic: Trafficking, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Racism, Violence, Gun violence, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Blood, Child death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Addiction, Gore, Death, Slavery, Drug abuse, Injury/injury detail, Xenophobia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Vomit, Genocide, Classism, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, War, and Death of parent
luna_is_superior's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Racism, Blood, Genocide, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexism
Moderate: Addiction, Classism, Trafficking, Alcoholism, Death, and Drug abuse
Minor: Grief, Torture, Vomit, Abandonment, Slavery, Rape, Child death, Transphobia, Injury/injury detail, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault