Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Księgi zapomnianych żyć by Bridget Collins

91 reviews

jo_bee's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense 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

5.0

An incredible read. If it starts a bit awkward, don't let that turn you away - there's reasons for it and soon enough it sucks you up and won't let you put it down. The characters are amazing, the romance is heartwrenching, there are so many hints dropped throughout the story the books come back to that are so satisfying to unravel. Some minor things are implied but never completely explained but personally I enjoy it like that. Truly enjoyed every page of it. Gets heavier in the second half so definitely check trigger warnings if you need to.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicide

Minor: Incest

maria_e_p's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Suicide

Moderate: Pedophilia and Rape

joonjxne's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

armstrongangela83's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH OH MY GOD

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, and Rape

rxbynelena's review against another edition

dark 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

2.0

The structure of this book really threw me off - our characters only really came to life half way through in Part 2. 

Personally, I think part 1 and part 2 could have been structured differently, or perhaps swapped. 

Such a good concept, and fantastic characterisation. People really stayed true to themselves. 

Huuuuge trigger warning for sexual violence. Some really grim content in here. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Vomit

sternfrl613's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

2.75

This was a tough read that opened a couple of wounds I didn't need opening. I only read it till the end because I needed a happy end, and thankfully received one that I can make peace with. 
LGBTQIA*, SA survivors and children of abusive families: check the content warnings before reading to make sure you're up to what you're getting here. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Excrement

animaniac17's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Cursing, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, and Kidnapping

Minor: Alcoholism, Abortion, and Classism

welgan's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

This is a very dark story, please pay attention to the trigger warnings beforehand. That said, even if I prefer cosy books at this time of my life, I very much enjoyed the Binding because a bit of angst is always cathartic, and because the author has one great concept (the binding) and explores it very well, from several points of view and possibilities. It felt thoroughly explored and I liked that a lot.
The beginning is a bit slow but the second and third parts of the book really bring the story to a great level of aching for the characters.
The ending lacked a bit of resolution of some old tensions between the two main characters in my opinion but was fine, and the whole book was an enjoyable experience !

Also the summary of story spoils way too much in my opinion X)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Murder

thewileyseven's review against another edition

emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

I feel complicated in this rating--I really loved the book and, especially once I got to part II, I could hardly put it down! But I also have some major qualms. The uneven pacing left a lot to be desired for me. I understand why Part I was paced the way it was (considering

the impacts of binding on Emmett's mind--I kept wondering why he spent so much time just staring off into space. Now I know!

, but ultimately Parts I and II both dragged in places for me. 

I also agree with another review I read regarding the treatment of women in this book. All completely sidelined, used as plot devices, killed off to further men's emotional development, and worse. Rough! Again, I can understand why, with commentaries on gender violence, historic sexism, and more, but I dunno. The main characters' complicity in this was a bummer. 

Part II, however, sang for me. Beautiful, aching, blossoming. And the system of binding is a splendid magic. Overall, I think this was 100% worth the read for me. But there are just pieces that grated at me a little too much to go unsaid. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Outing, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

katy_bee's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

A reread for me as it was this month's book club pick. I lived it the first time around and I wondered if it would lube up to memory. Actually it has, I feel swept up in Emmett and Lucian's story, the ways in which they're trapped, make mistakes, try and be authentic, let people down and ultimately find a way through. The world building around book binding is consistent and well drawn (although if magic worlds simply aren't your thing, this might feel a bit much in places). The background characters are also interesting. Women are mostly victims in the narrative and in particular they're victims of sexual violence- so heed the content warnings - but for me that felt in keeping with the world and narrative. I would have liked to see some light at the end of the tunnel for some of those characters whose trauma seemed perhaps diminished by the fact that their stories simply end when Emmett and Lucian's story is tied up but they're the main characters so perhaps unsurprising.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism