Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

42 reviews

alyh1215's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This was a wonderfully woven story. It's not a happy one, but that's okay. It's one of those books that makes you feel raw at the end. And I like that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Terminal illness

lareinadehades's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

I didn't enjoy it. I think it lacked nuance for the themes it tackles, or perhaps, we were given the wrong pov and no insight into her mother's mind at all. The ending is far too abrupt and we're left wondering about Michael.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

emii_k's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

Bro what did I just read. Genuinely, what was that. This at times, filled me with so much anxiety and dread but I couldn’t put it down. I read this mostly in one sitting, and I was royally creeped out but that’s also a sign of good writing. Very well written, but this also freaked me out. I may change my rating later, but for now, 3.5.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content

jackbifrost's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death

kshertz's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

This offer has an amazing way with words in a way that just challenges me and helps me to see the world in a different way. The incorporation of magical realism is just so intentional and the themes that surround so deep I absolutely love this author and the way that they really make a point in a way that is not straightforward and direct but creeps up on you that you think about for days afterwards. It’s definitely worth a read for this short Novella.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

thetiefenator's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Gun violence

itsemmaofc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

saint_eleanor's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This was really really good, very weird. It's a really unique way of telling the story of childhood abuse and how children often have to deal with strangers coming into their lives or their parents lives and kind of being this harbinger of neglect. The mother meets a 'crane' and they fall in love and she starts to ignore her children and just throws herself into an art piece with the crane man all the while he is abusing her. It really deeply unsettled me. 
Very well written despite being from the perspective of a teen, the language was really beautiful. I also caught bluebeard's castle vibes from the story her dad told her about the crane wife and also echoes of the green ribbon story, as in like women have these aspects to them that they want to keep just for themselves but men feel so entitled to them that they MUST know, causing eternal curse!! I really appreciated the modern setting as well, made it really creepy, the stuff w the sheep scared me!!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse

meaghanelizabook's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

booksthoughtsandtea's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.5

This book shows the lengths older siblings will go to protect younger siblings, that love isn't enough to live on, the power of selfishness and selflessness, and the burden of grief. I wish this book had a more satisfying ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder