Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

6 reviews

jlfields925's review against another edition

adventurous emotional fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Grief, and Car accident

another_dahlia's review

mysterious fast-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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

maecaitlin's review

emotional mysterious reflective fast-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

3.75

If you’ve ever wanted to romance a frogman, this book is for you.

Ingalls plays with the archetype of the traditional Gothic Hero with Larry (who is about as average as his name). Larry very well may be the lonely housewife Dorothy’s own creation, both as an erotic object and a compensation for her lost children. 

Both odd and profound, I’m happy Del Toro’s ‘The Shape of Water’ brought this back into print.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Miscarriage

alishamegan's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

elizabeth_d's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Torture

abomine's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

A love story about a lonely housewife and a giant anthropomorphic frog, mixed with some satire about the drama of American suburbia sounds like it should be relatively lighthearted faire. Nope. This is a bleak book; this is a Shakespearean tragedy about loss, trauma, mental health (or lack thereof), and fractured relationships, which makes the tender romance, peaceful moments, joyful moments, and snippets of snarky humor shine all the brighter against such a dark background.

Therefore, it makes sense that the ending would be devastating, but I was quite unprepared for how devastating it would be, because not only was it WAY too real, it was completely justified and horrifically beautiful. No "drama for shock value" stuff here. This is the real deal.

This ending was like having your heart ripped out by a gourmet chef, who sautés it right in front of you with herb butter and garlic.  You're reeling from the shock of such sudden violence, and by the time your senses return, the chef serves you your heart, glistening with luscious sauce beside some bright spring greens. You numbly take a bite...and it's the most delicious thing you've ever tasted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death