Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Beautiful World, Where Are You, by Sally Rooney

54 reviews

issyd23's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad slow-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

Wish sally would just write a collection of essays already - the extended emails were unenjoyable to read. Also hated the men in the book 2⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

et015's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

a cute book about growing up and feeling like you have no place.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

yrlaevelyn's review against another edition

emotional reflective

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

tinkithesquirelll's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Mental illness, Sexism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Suicide, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

garciaga's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Pregnancy

sleeson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

2.5

I don’t know how I wanted to rate this. 2.5ish?? I didn’t like the book but I enjoyed the style of the writing. I mean I must have because I finished this novel rather quickly. Rooney is such a strange writer. I never know how to review her books. Moderate profanity. Moderate sexual content. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual content

cylite's review against another edition

reflective

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

3.0

I thought it explored a lot of different relationship dynamics and emotions around change and transition. Still, I wish it didn't center so much around the two women's relationship with the men. The book was not incredibly profound, but I see the value in it.

Spoiler

Also, the last chapter was so random and not really connected to the original plot other than to just give unneeded closure

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Death of parent

minzzi's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.0

This book has a very unique writing style that I had never seen before. It took me a bit to get used to the lack of separation between the dialogue and the rest of the text, but once it becomes normal for your brain, you don't even notice it anymore. I also really liked how Sally Rooney describes things and places, it's simple and effective, focusing on small details that bring life into the sceneries.
  The story it self, on the other hand, left a lot to desire. The emails traded between Alice and Eileen were fulled with shallow discussions on politics, society, beauty, etc that, although very basic, were way more intertaining then whatever toxic bullshit they had going on with their respective romantic counterparts.
  I think Alice was the only character I really liked. She truly felt like a person who is suffering and doesn't know what to do with her own pain. Eileen on the other hand felt like a whinny child to me. I get that she is also depressed, but so much of her character is about Simon and their relationship that she became almost devoid of personality to me. Also, if your best friend stops talking to you because she had a mental breakdown and was institutionalized, maybe dont make the whole think about you. I didn't like Felix. The way he talked to Alice was rude and completely unnecessary, I don't care that he has a mental illness. I kinda liked Simon, close to the other three he even looks normal, even though he suffer from the same problem of lack of personality as Eileen.
   In the end, its a nicely written book with mostly insufferable characters that all desperately need therapy instead of romantic relationships.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Minor: Pregnancy and Suicidal thoughts

jasminrain's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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

4.0

I adore Rooney's way with words. This book is so beautifully written and the way in which she describes the world and moments is really extraordinary. I loved the letters and the intellectual discussion between the two main characters through them - they gave me a lot to think about. But as a story and characters, it was nothing out of ordinary. I didn't enjoy the characters or their relationships. There was just so much gaslighting and toxic relationships, and incidents such as sexual coercion that went unaddressed and the book seemed to normalise. On a lighter note, I also couldn't relate to any of the characters. For lots of people this seems to be the reality that we live in, but for me it seemed absurd. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual violence, Self harm, Bullying, Classism, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

heykieramc's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

I wish I had realized before I started reading how much of the book would be about sex and religion. The transitions were jarring, especially since this was my subway listen for the past few days! I also found the back-and-forth personality clashes between the couples really off-putting, and

Spoiler

the final chapter alluding to the pandemic

felt like it was tacked on to an already-completed manuscript. Overall, Rooney's writing style was good enough to keep me listening, but I wouldn't say I enjoyed the book. However, if she did write a book of essays similar to the emails (oh! the emails!!), I might be inclined to pick it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Death