Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Black Hole by Charles Burns

3 reviews

fallen_angel1002's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This is without a doubt one of the strangest books I've read. I didn't think I would like a sci-fi novel that doubles as a metaphor for aids as much as I did, but it is actually a really good read.

A mutative virus that attacks and changes the body of anyone who possesses the virus speeds like wildfire through the teenage population, passed on through sex.

Its nature as a graphic novel means that these changes are shown in shocking black-and-white details that are both disturbing and somehow mesmerising. Burns' characters are something strange and unusual just as the virus is, so they pair well together when it comes to this novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Drug use, Hate crime, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

spotlessminds's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

Bleak and very unflinching in tackling teenage angst and the overhanging dread as you feel in becoming a sexual being, but incredibly honest and,
 poignant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Very much trying to have an honest discussion about teenage sexuality without exploiting these situations they're caught in.

limina's review

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-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

4.0

This sure was a read. It has a lot of the atmospheric, body horror content that's popular right now, and this is from 2005 so it's certainly ahead of the game. They Do Not shy away from body horror, grotesque imagery so keep that in mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Minor: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Suicide, Murder, and Toxic friendship