Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Animal by Lisa Taddeo

101 reviews

marinalikeaboatyard's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.0

A difficult but incredibly engrossing read. Taddeo brilliantly shows the generational trauma that women experience and the difficulty of breaking that cycle. The characters are incredibly complex and more anti-hero-esque than anything, but you still root for the main character. 

I’ve noticed this trend lately of so many authors using the structure of switching between past and present until it all catches up, and I wasn’t sure I could do it again. I will say, that structure - imho - doesn’t *always* serve the novel well, as it kind of holds up the plot at points in favor of exposition. I think maybe it should just have been better spaced out or cut down a bit. HOWEVER, in the second half, it really accelerates and you absolutely can’t wait to find out what exactly happened and how it’s going to play out. There’s a bit of ambiguity in the end, but you ultimately feel that the cycle has been broken in some way, and that the main character has made peace with past and is ready to begin again. 

Major content trigger warnings - some very challenging passages that some readers may find triggering. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, and Panic attacks/disorders

n0e11e0000's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Stalking, and Alcohol

Minor: Body shaming, Cursing, Vomit, and War

ienbdri's review against another edition

dark tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

charvermont's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

dakotahreads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Abortion, and Murder

greyyy's review against another edition

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

avnieznay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

phenomenally written - the prose is so good and haunting. It took me a little while to get into it but once it picked up, I devoured the book in one sitting. I imagine I’ll think about this book for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Death of parent

Moderate: Murder

adrienne_rennie's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Alcohol

Minor: Gun violence and Car accident

rly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Confinement and Forced institutionalization