Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Była sobie rzeka by Diane Setterfield

35 reviews

emeraldcityreader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, and Kidnapping

Minor: Rape

ebgat's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Grief

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Rape

jenn_bookstitcher's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

lizzie24601's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

velveteencactus's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.5

An intriguing mystery wrapped up in a fairytale-like plot that explores how families deal with loss and tragedy. A great read except for how cruel depictions of Romani people will appear at random points throughout the book

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Racial slurs

rainb0wreads's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

While I can say I was invested in the action in this book, there is literally nothing else that was getting me through it. I was honestly forcing myself to finish this book. The plot? A fantastic concept? The atmosphere? Cozy. The characters? Very different, very interesting, but I just didn’t care. The writing style was what mostly wrecked it for me. This was supposed to be a mystery from what I gather, but it read like an old timey fantasy, which kind of suites the book but not really. I wasn’t attached the the characters really which was disappointing because this is such a character driven book. When the secrets and the plot unfolded it was nice and I liked the action that came with it, I just felt like this book really wasn’t for me, that’s all. I guess I see why other people like it, I just didn’t. The ending was cute though, I did like that ending.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Racism

Minor: Rape

bibliophilemama's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Animal death, Racism, and Rape

heartbrekker's review against another edition

4.0

“There was more to life, more to death, than medical science had known.”

I enjoyed this novel immensely. The first sixty pages are intense and a tad complicated, but upon passing them, the novel was phenomenal.
There’s so much the reader questions throughout the reading process. It isn’t until those last hundred pages that everything comes to light and fruition, and as expected, the truth is very upsetting. The intrigue and mystery is hands down one of the best aspects of this novel because Setterfield is great at laying it out but not giving anything away. I was constantly wondering how certain storylines fit together, and I didn't expect it to weave together as seamlessly as it did. It was like magic, and yes, the pun is intended.
Also the novel is great at depicting loss, PTSD, and the complexity of family. I just want to hug everyone because the world is so cruel sometimes! Family is such an underrated aspect to novels, and this one truly had me feeling ever emotion known to mankind.
I adored the references and importance of the river. The whole time it was this powerful force that really just urges the plot forward where you realize it or not. I also thought the river may be drowned out throughout the course of the story by events happening but that was not the case at all. If anything the river becomes EVEN more imperative to the plot. It shows the importance of this river not only to these characters but to the city/ time period as well. I don't think we think about how incredible things like rivers are. We just go around soaking in their normalcy in our lives.
The setting (besides the river) also deserves praise because it felt like the Darwinian Age. Rita, a nurse, and Daunt, a photographer, are the symbols of technology and innovation throughout the story, and their contrast to the storyline was my favorite. Furthermore, their interactions left me squealing A LOT. Rita is such a solid feminist figure of the time, whether she believes herself to be one or not, and I found myself sitting up a little straighter whenever she worked her magic. Daunt too fascinated me with his passion for photography and helping people.
All in all, I recommend this story to people who tend to read adult novels. I say this because the plot and pacing is much slower than YA, so I feel YA readers will become bored very quickly. The mystery within this novel is also very unclear, and it takes lots of dissection to keep it straight. It’s a wonderful story, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Physical abuse

Moderate: Racism and Sexual violence

Depression

atamano's review against another edition

emotional mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death and Kidnapping

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

lanskaya's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal death and Bullying