Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld

18 reviews

any_bethany's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A brutal, visceral and important portrait of male violence and the way it distorts, destroys and stains lives.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Infertility, Mental illness, Violence, Death, Grief, Sexual violence, and Torture

vipsahtanut's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Rape

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Infertility

my_a's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Rape, Alcohol, Misogyny, Murder, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Stalking, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual assault

Moderate: War, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

horizonous's review

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Moderate: Grief, Gore, Mental illness, and Death

Minor: Violence, Rape, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, and Forced institutionalization

◦ Mental illness = Anxiety, depression

funktious's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

Objectively speaking, this isn't a bad book, but I absolutely hated it. 

The good: the characters, the setting, the fierce sisterhood amongst the women through all the generations. The Bass Rock looming over it all, the witchiness. Ruth, Betty and Bernadette. Maggie for about 10% of her page time. The post-war trauma in Ruth's section.

The bad: the sheer unrelenting misery ('oh look, it's a new female character, I wonder what's going to happen to her? Oh, she's being raped already'.) The constant drinking. The metric ton of rape. That only one living man in the whole book is not an absolute monster. Maggie, like 90% of the time.

I may have enjoyed this more in a different time of my life, but right now I need a bit more hope.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, and Forced institutionalization

catha1na's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Murder, Misogyny, Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Sexism, Self harm, Death, Child death, Mental illness, Infidelity, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship

oleanderwillow's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca' and similar to Laura Purcell's books. Took me a week to read because of a reading slump but also because I needed time in between the chapters. This book is so full of realistic and heart-breaking violence against women and young boys that it is difficult to read, so I didn't rush it. You need to be in the right headspace to read this, and please take into account all the trigger warnings attached to this novel. Well-written, beautiful setting, realistic characters, wonderful book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

azebrareads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Classism, Infertility, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, Ableism, Bullying, Torture, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Violence, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Death, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

lucyhcurtis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Domestic abuse, Murder, Violence, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Ableism, Miscarriage, and Forced institutionalization

corneliusmcstrawberry's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

this book was dark. personally i am a fan of dark, challenging pieces of literary fiction, so this was up my alley. this author's use of different types of perspective (first person, third person omniscient/limited) is genius; once i realized why she chose to play around with perspective the way she did, it all clicked, and i loved it. good use of motifs as well, and great attention to detail/subtlety. the fox and the wolf are recurring motifs throughout this book and i enjoyed the symbolism. this is a story about patriarchal violence, and how society has allowed it to fester and ruin the lives of so many women across generations, in ways big and small. potential spoiler ahead (?):

the character maggie was my favourite - such a complex character, and her dialogue is a breath of fresh air that cuts through the fog and unapologetically hands you the message of the novel.

also, the prologue of this novel!!!! one of the best i have read. it sets the tone for the novel and frankly, it did have me hooked on the book from the beginning. i found parts of this book to be quite thrilling, as well as blunt and - as i have already stated - dark. if you are looking for a distinctly feminist novel, this is a great book to try. it was weaved together so well, the stories of the three women - sarah, ruth, and viviane - as well as those of the side characters have been braided together. this was a great read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexism, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

Minor: Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy