Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce

9 reviews

piamoomin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This otherwise delightful and beautifully written book was sadly marred for me by the constant and sometimes entire chapter-length vomit that kept being featured as a shock factor. There were heavy-handed metaphors and a dark undercurrent to the whole story, and part way through it became quite clear that the misery, trauma and literal human filth were the main elements, over which a thin layer of uplifting character development - beauty through adversity was laid. I have really mixed feelings about this book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Vomit

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Miscarriage, Suicide, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

cmklaft's review against another edition

adventurous funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Suicide, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

littlelizzieborden's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

smdorsett's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Gun violence, Infertility, Grief, Death of parent, and Colonisation

argentdoe's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Torture, Violence, and War

Minor: Bullying, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Suicide

crabbytaco's review

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Miscarriage and Death of parent

Minor: Confinement, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and War

runefactories's review

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Stalking

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

izwit's review

adventurous reflective tense medium-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? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

sarahsponda's review against another edition

I'm not great with characters who won't stand up for themselves or help others when they are suffering.

Sure, literally run away when your assistant pleads for help while she is having a miscarriage. What the hell?

Miss Benson is like an inanimate object who just lets things happen. I get that she had a traumatic childhood but I don't want to wait around and wait for this prissy stick-in-the-mud to learn what friendship is. The overall SO QUIRKY! tone didn't help, especially when horrible things are happening to the characters, like being stalked by a misogynistic former POW with untreated PTSD; the book has all these feel-good blurbs, guh.

Regardless: Juliet Stevenson is an excellent narrator.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Miscarriage, and Misogyny