Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Eleanor & Park: Exclusive Special Edition by Rainbow Rowell

30 reviews

carina_dreamer's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

5.0

🎧 Comprei este livro sem ter folheado e lendo a sinopse faz já séculos, então apanhei uma enorme surpresa quando começo a ler e descubro que não se passa nos anos 2000 e sim em 1986. Eu estava convencida que na capa eles usavam leitores de CDs e não de cassetes 😅

🎧 Neste livro vamos ter o romance de Eleanor e de Park, dois inadaptados entre os colegas da sua secundária por diferentes razões. Ela é a nova aluna, de cabelo ruivo volumoso que veste roupa de homem e usa gravatas no cabelo e alfinetes como acessórios. Ele é meio-coreano meio-americano, veste-se todo de preto e tenta passar despercebido.
Quando Eleanor, alvo imediato dos bullies no autocarro da escola acaba por se sentar ao lado de um Park muito incomodado, as vidas de ambos vão mudar.

🎧 Aquele choque inicial quanto à década retratada + os capítulos curtos com saltos rápidos entre os POVs de ambos deixou-me com algum receio, mas assim que os nossos protagonistas ignoraram a má primeira impressão, o enredo flui bem.

🎧 Este livro aborda mais que um primeiro amor e todo o doce que é ler esses momentos.
Faz questão de nos mostrar que apesar de retratar os anos 80, que não é muito diferente do presente.
Encontramos:
• bullying;
• baixa autoestima e autodepreciação de ambos (ela acha-se gorda e pouco atrativa e ele acha-se pouco desenvolvido e enfemininado);
• a falta de representatividade asiática nos média americanos (Bruce Lee era o único ícone sexy que conseguiam referir);
• microagressões racistas;
• estereótipos de género.

🎧 O que teve mais foco que os pontos indicados acima e está equiparado com o romance é o drama familiar resultante das diferenças económicas de ambos.
A família da Eleanor é pobre e numerosa, enquanto que Park pertence a uma família média-alta e enraizada na comunidade.
Adorei que o que os aproximou fosse as BDs e mixtapes que o Park partilhava com ela todos os dias.

🎧 Não acho que seja um livro infalível e pode não agradar a todos, mas eu recomendo bastante, mesmo não sendo fã do tipo de final escolhido 😅.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ponderei se merecia ou não as 5 estrelas, porque eu sou sempre uma forreta a dar essa cotação, mas quando dou é sempre porque a emoção que o livro me dá ultrapassa as mesquinhisses que eu possa ter para lhe dar um 4.75 e esta foi uma dessas leituras.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Abandonment

Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexism

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

Even though I really didn’t like how the book ended, there was no other way it could’ve ended, I don’t think. I felt endlessly sorry for Eleanor. She was so relatable and so misunderstood and for Park to be taken from her when he was the only one who truly saw her was so unjust. This book highlights all the ways life is so unfair, especially to kids growing up in situations of poverty. It’s a story of young love, growing up, and overcoming social norms. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

jordan_noel's review against another edition

emotional funny 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? Yes

3.75

This is a sweet story of friendship between two sort of outsiders.

The transition from hate to love between the two characters felt kind of sudden, but their friendship was so sweet and pure that I think it makes up for it.

Maybe it's just me, but many parts felt overly, almost sickly sentimental. I felt a lot of dialogue and description of their romantic endeavors was a bit excessive. Still, it was a sweet relationship and I can get over these little flaws.

I have very mixed feelings about the ending.

The characters separate and lose touch, which of course, is normal and fine, but Eleanor began to start acting completely out of character right before this point. She was distant and rude and failed to reach out even with Park's persistent letters. Then at the end, she sends him three words (unknown to us) that somehow make him smile. I don't understand why Park would forgive her after almost a full year of her denying contact. 

I think the relationship was a chance for Eleanor to appreciate herself more, learn and grow, and become independent. And for Park, it was his first, perhaps naïve, experience in love. I do like the complexity in their different interpretations of the relationship.

These characters were likable and the end was fairly realistic. Overall, this is a sweet, hopeful book, especially for teenagers who know just how brutal high school and adolescent life can be.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Eleanor's mom is in a toxic, abusive (physically and emotionally) relationship. Her husband has forces Eleanor out of the house twice. Eleanor's mom does not stick up for her daughter (or the other 4 children). People at school, as well as the husband, intensely body-shame Eleanor.

lindsayrae114's review against another edition

emotional sad 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? Yes

3.0

A lot of these reviews were really negative regarding your Eleanor treats/speaks to Park, or frustration in the lack of communication on E's end. I fully disagree. Rainbow wrote this book with a heart for a girl living in and through trauma. Eleanor's voice is accurate and tragic. I fully related to her journey.

Possible spoiler-related content below.....

I grew up in an abusive home. I was not conventionally pretty. I spent every day of my life trying to disappear and stand out at the same time. Be the good student so teachers were never worried about me. Don't get the attention of boys. Then one noticed despite my efforts. It was a full time job to fall in love and keep myself and the relationship safe at the same time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Toxic relationship

honeyy_menu's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

5.0

i just reread this book for the first time since like 2014, and i loved it just as much as i did then. i love eleanor. i love park. i love this book so much. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

l_myers's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

4.75

I have read this book more than a couple of times and I still love it. I would suggest reading the trigger warnings, but overall a very cute teen romance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual harassment

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analea_lucille's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Sexual harassment

madmadmaddymad's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I really enjoyed it. It’s definitely the sort of book that can remind you how intense emotions are when you are 17. 

I started crying when Park’s dad let him go, and I didn’t stop until the last page. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Alcohol

nalyr98's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

It felt implicitly racist and fat phobic… the storyline was a good idea if it had it be executed better  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

theworldof11's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Racism, and Alcohol

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Physical abuse, Vomit, Murder, Toxic friendship, and War