Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton

26 reviews

monalyisha's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.75

Burton expertly creates atmosphere and tone in this tense novel, set in a co-ed, seaside, Catholic boarding school in New England. There’s desperation, longing, and cruelty in spades. It’s clear how easy it is to be swept up in a cult AND in young love, and how dangerous it is when power is so unequally distributed in each case. I’ll read more by this author; I’m almost more interested in her bio at the back than I am in her narrative! A doctorate in theology? A nonfic text called “Strange Rites”? Yes, please!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse

andrewbop's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder

Minor: Religious bigotry, Alcohol, and War

ventenne's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

2.0

laura (the narrator) annoyed the shit out of me: she was blind, naïve, and a pushover on multiple fronts. i read the first few pages, then skipped to the last page and read the book backwards, section by section (i was reading an ebook). if i hadn’t done this, it would have been too irksome to finish.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Suicide, and Vomit

maiahhtratchh's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Antisemitism and Religious bigotry

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Fire/Fire injury

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.75

This dark and lyrical novel by theologian Tara Isabella Burton is told from the perspective of a naive, impressionable girl who, at the start of her junior year, transfers to the coastal boarding school featured in her favorite novel, which is reminiscent of A Separate Peace.  She is captivated by the chapel choir—especially by its hypnotizing leader and soprano, Virginia—and she is overjoyed to fall into favor with the exclusive group.  The singers, who also deify the novel and its alumnus author, are puppeteered by Virginia, whose obsession with gravity and piety leads her down a dangerous and surprising path.  Exploring sexuality, integrity, and idolization, this is a novel about wanting to become something one has read about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

The content warning for sexual violence is referring to sharing intimate videos without consent.

apiologee's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body shaming and Eating disorder

Minor: Sexism, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury

Revenge porn (the distribution of someone's sex tape without their consent) ends up being a crucial plot point toward the end of the book.

bookishsapphicshay's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

hbrown00's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Eating disorder, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Minor: Lesbophobia and Alcohol

mcczaw's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

Graphic: Suicide

Minor: Eating disorder

rosa_inverno's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

It's complicated.
As I said to a friend, "This is heavy. This is dark. This is so good."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Eating disorder