Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

Animal by Lisa Taddeo

114 reviews

yanaorwhatever's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Grief

leonalikesliterature's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

Deeply enjoyable read.  

I found Joan’s perspective so complicated and though I loathed her sometimes, I also resonated with her. She was complicated and ridiculously flawed but relatable and endearing. I found every side character compelling too and truly believed every relationship depicted. 

In a seemingly contradictory way, the story was so outlandish sometimes it felt satirical or dreamlike but it was also always strangely believable.
I never knew what was going to happen despite how simple the overall story was. This book was a surprisingly delightful mystery and engrossing thriller! 

Ended up disappointed that there wasn’t more man-killing, not gonna lie, but I genuinely loved this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

chrishham's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Blood, Dementia, and Death of parent

liltinylatke's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

This is one of the most phenomenal pieces of writing I’ve read in a while. I search endlessly for the perfect book, the perfect style of writing, and I found both in this novel. The story is deeply concerning and strange. Experiencing Joan’s life of pain and trauma alongside her felt arduous. I can see similarities between Lisa Taddeo and Ottessa Moshfegh — the way they write their flawed characters with such specific characteristics and thoughts that are absolutely bizarre to the reader but perfectly normal to the character. Their descriptions of people and the things around them are so specific and entirely unrelatable. This is a hard story to get through, and I can’t wait to read all of Taddeo’s work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

jadiedaffodil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

alisha106's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Joan, the main character is incredibly unlikable which makes the reader more curious to learn more about her past. Lots of dark sexual themes that stem from her trauma. I often felt conflicted between hating her and understanding why she became who she is. Not a lighthearted read but keeps you wanting answers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

rebeccadiv's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

This rating doesn't necessarily stem from the quality of the writing, but of my experience reading it. It was often hard to be slipping in and out of memories so often which connected but then also felt confusing. I understand what the author was trying to do but the book often felt so fragmented that I would question the intent of parts. I am not one to shy away from graphic scenes or writing, but at times certain scenes felt graphic just to be so. It's unfortunate because I was really excited for this book but it just didn't work for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Animal cruelty and Pedophilia

hannaheperry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Rape

laran_s's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, Vomit, and Stalking

ktwoolen'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

4.0

I loved this story but as a mother I was so triggered and disturbed by so much of the dialog and imagery. Truly a heartbreaking read for me. A lot of reviews said it’s about how being in your 30s can make you want to kill- but to me it was about how parent trauma and send you on a spiral of self degradation, and how being treated like you’re disposable by everyone that’s ever come into your life can make you want to kill. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Really hard mother/daughter trauma to get through, along with detailed description of a miscarriage.