Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews

3 reviews

ehamlett's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Incest, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Medical content

favvn's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

Initially,  I thought this one was an absolute bore compared to its predecessor. Could absolutely not care any less about all of Cathy's pining for love and failure with men

(take a shot any time Cathy has sex with a man for the first time only for it to be rape! VC Andrews, what the hell?!/extend that to practically any man introduced in this series who looks at Cathy. Like was it necessay to have Paul raping his first wife as part of his "unhappy marriage story" and to have Cathy brush it all aside because "a man old enough to be my father wants me sexually"? No wonder the coquette side of the internet enjoys these books)

and the ballet parts were the only decent thing I enjoyed. Like, I really thought the beginning with Paul would've been darker than it was

(like, for example, Cathy would have been limited to housework and sewing for a man who clearly saw her sexually rather than fatherly instead of ballet classes and whatnot)

and Andrews just saved it all for the melodrama of a forbidden age gap romance as she rebuked her brother's advances again and again.

But oh. The revenge plot. So absolutely unhinged. Cathy, you sadistic maladjusted freak. Please get therapy now that you've had revenge 🩷 And the ending chapter with Cathy describing a quiet and content life with Chris and her two sons from a previous marriage and affair, only to end it with her wondering when two twin size beds "long enough for two small boys to grow into men" appeared in the attic and buying a picnic basket like the one the grandmother used? Chilling. The cycle continues, even without the lure of wealth and a sprawling mansion.

Also, this being a VC Andrews book there's probably more content warnings that I'm forgetting. Just consider the melodrama of classic flicks like A Summer Place or Peyton Place but toss in social taboos beyond premarital sex or infidelity and you get this book.

And as another aside since the content warnings don't include "racial stereotypes" as an option, my idiot niave self had hoped the inclusion of a black woman wouldn't have gone into the Magical Negro Trope and The Mammy Stereotype but. Henny is there to be a plot device caricature. The only black character in this series so far. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Suicide

dontforgetthelights's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Domestic abuse, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, and Forced institutionalization