Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

32 reviews

deelightfulreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Outing, and Colonisation

jennipea382's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Outing, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

majestyreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

This is the second book I have read by Xochitl Gonzalez and somehow it lived up to and even surpassed my expectations! 
In Olga Dies Dreaming, Gonzalez presents a very diverse set of characters that are flawed, complicated, morally-ambiguous, and reflective while also remaining compelling and inspiriting! 
The way that the characters’ histories, motivations, and schemes unravel as the novel progresses is presented through varying perspectives that come with vastly different sets of schemas. 
In every chapter I didn’t know who I was supposed to root for, what perspectives to trust, and how just everyone was interconnected. 
This novel touches on sensitive topics like familial abandonment and manipulation, impacts of American colonialism on the Puerto Rican population- both on the island and the main land- the impacts of being HIV-positive, and the question of what exactly you’re willing to do to live up to the perceived expectations of those around us. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Rape

sha's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Abortion, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

starlily's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, and Abortion

aly97's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Sexual assault

readbycarina's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Physical abuse, Abortion, and Pregnancy

mbedrosian's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Death of parent, Outing, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction and Abortion

ashwaar's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

It took me months to finish reading this book! When I began it was very strong and I loved the sharpness of the writing but near the end, I thought it was floundering around. It became a bit over-the-top and dramatic for me but I do think that overall it’s a really strong character story on family, community, trauma, and gentrification.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Homophobia, and Racism

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Genocide, Misogyny, Grief, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Alcohol