Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Dark Horses by Susan Mihalic

7 reviews

dizzzybrook's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

pollyhall'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

dosxhime's review

challenging dark emotional 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? No

4.5

Dark Horses really was up there for darkest books I read so far. 

The abuse Roan suffered from her family was all too real and it made her circumstances all the more tragic. Here only real hope was Jasper, Will, and horseback riding. There was very little for her to look forward to in the face of her father's abuse, however her growth was satisfying and cathartic to read. I cheered when she cut her hair and called her father out for what he is. 

I will say that the romance aspect was a little meh. It kinda just felt like they were there and treted each other decently/normally and that was why Will and Roan fell for each other. The resolution between Roan and her father wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be since it kind of felt half-assed I guess. He doesn't get ruined in the way that I hoped. 

Anyways, Roan's growth was impeccable and is really the bread-n-butter of this novel. 

4.5 / 5 A- 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Medical content

Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment

deezy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

lauramorgan's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Car accident

thespinystacks's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

First things first - huge trigger warnings in this book. Please check them out.

This was an incredibly challenging read. I’m not faint hearted but I was physically shuddering and felt ill at times during this book. That being said, it felt purposeful and never like you were being told the graphics just because. I appreciate that.

I felt the ending was very rushed. There was a huge tension build up for 90% of this book, there was a release and you’ll have a reaction for sure, but then - it was rushed through to conclude. That let it down just a little for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Car accident

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective

4.25

 
Dark Horses is the story of Roan Montgomery, a 15 year old equestrian star and likely future Olympian. She comes from a long line of equestrian stars, and is trained and coached by her father, a charming and knowledgeable ex-Olympian.

This was a dark read, gripping and compelling. I think it gave a good insight into the lifestyle of any young elite athlete - the dedication, the hours of training, the sacrifice of much of a life outside sport, the rivalry between fellow competitors which makes friendships difficult.

It is also an excellent, gut-churning portrayal of an abusive relationship highlighting the control, the calculated cruelty, the isolation, the threats, the gaslighting and the abuse - physical, emotional and sexual. Compounding things was that in Roan’s case the abuse was incestuous, and her mother had addiction issues which meant she didn’t provide the protection Roan needed.

I really appreciated the nuanced way Roan’s interactions with her father were portrayed - she wanted to please him as an athlete, she valued his expertise, she didn’t want his abuse but didn’t know how to resist, rebuffed questions that got close to the truth, couldn’t resist without losing things that mattered to her and sometimes initiated sexual interactions since they seemed the lesser of two evils. Mihalic doesn’t shy away from the complicated nature of the relationship between Roan and her father. The ending while unexpected seemed fitting in the context of those complicated feelings.

Highly recommended, but proceed with caution due to the tough subject matter. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, and Violence