Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Bad Girls by Camila Sosa Villada

8 reviews

reflectiverambling_nalana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-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

4.25

This story is one of perseverance in continual strife, of finding moments of levity, and finding yourself. While some may find this to be too blunt, too intense, too dreary, the sad truth is that there are some journeys that seem like they are constantly uphill. This narrative is a constant weight, a constant shadow. And yet it is slightly inspiring in that in spite of all of the trauma faced by all of these characters, of all the compartmentalization they're forced to put on their brains just to keep moving-- they find a place to be, mostly, to keep taking that step. It is by no means hopeful. It leaves you feeling heavy and hurt. But it makes you want to yearn for everyone remaining to find a light. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Deadnaming, Drug use, Incest, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria

vcriveros's review against another edition

emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Bellísimo y desolador, no puedo a leer más de la autora. La escritura es brillante y los personajes inolvidables. Los elementos de realismo mágico no me fueron ni vinieron personalmente, pero las transiciones entre el foco en la protagonista y las otras chicas lo hace polifónico y continuamente en movimiento de una forma que me encantó. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Blood, Excrement, and Grief

junglejelly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.75

I honestly don't know where to start with this book except to say it's a must read.

It is so beautifully and heartbreakingly written. The characters, including the settings, come so easily to life off the page. With so few words, Camila Sosa Villada makes you care for this chosen family (who love and fight just like a biological/traditional family).

I wish the book was longer and delved more into Camila's life from being a teenager to her 20s. I felt a few of the chapters too short and the flow of the book jarring with "flashbacks". Hence not the full 5 stars but this is personal preference.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, and Mental illness

lidia7's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Deadnaming, Gun violence, Self harm, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Colonisation

maxgdy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

newkgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

Camila's semi-autobiographical story of the Travesti sex workers of Cordoba, Argentina is heartbreaking and uplifting, cruel and tender, brutal and soft and it's the story of women who find their family in a city where they are not welcome except by those that seek their companionship during the night for a price. 

Auntie Encarna is a 178 year old who loves a headless man back from the war and "adopts" a baby she finds in the bushes, naming him "Twinkle in Her Eye", Maria is a deaf mute that transforms into a bird, and Natali is a she-wolf that requires restraint during the full moon.  Each character broken yet strong in their own way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Deadnaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

internationalreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

ca_r's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, and Classism