Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

4 reviews

mermaidsherbet's review

emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

savvylit's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What a novella! Mrs. Caliban is so many things: a romance, a thriller, a feminist fable. Ingalls has managed to pack a heck of a lot of thought-provoking story into this fast-paced little book. Larry's arrival sets Dorothy free from her unsatisfying life. For one, she discovers her own sexual agency. Furthermore, Larry's constant questions about human culture help Dorothy discover the inanity of many societal expectations.

There's so much more that happens in Mrs. Caliban, but that's about all I can say without spoiling the novella. Suffice it to say, I love this book. A short feminist fable with magical realism? My favorite genre! I can't wait to track down more of Ingalls' work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Infidelity, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Toxic friendship

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

blewballoon's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.0

This book certainly affected me. I was unsettled, disturbed, and upset in the end and it stuck with me for a while. Most of the characters apart from Dorothy are almost comically awful, but not comically enough for it not to be distressing. Even during the parts of the book where pleasant things are occurring, there is a constant undercurrent of tension and dread. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol