Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Îndoiala by Ashley Audrain

6 reviews

rachel7588's review against another edition

sad 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: Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use, Miscarriage, Rape, Abortion, and Death of parent

leaettaaa's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Ashley Audrain's debut novel, The Push, is a gripping psychological thriller that will have you questioning everything you know about motherhood. With its compelling narrative and unflinching exploration of familial trauma, this book is not just a read but an experience that lingers long after the final page.

The story centers on Blythe Connor, a woman determined to be the loving mother she never had. However, her journey into motherhood is anything but smooth. From the outset, Blythe senses something is wrong with her daughter, leading to a harrowing exploration of nature versus nurture. Is her perception accurate, or is it skewed by her own troubled past?

Audrain masterfully crafts a narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat, questioning the reliability of Blythe's perspective. The tension is palpable as the story unfolds, revealing the complexities and dark undercurrents of parenthood. The psychological depth of the characters makes you empathize with their pain and struggle, while also leaving you unsettled by the ambiguity of their experiences.

The trauma that permeates the Connor family is depicted with such raw honesty that it will haunt you, keeping you up at night as you ponder the devastating impact of unresolved emotional scars. Audrain's prose is both beautiful and haunting, drawing you into Blythe's world and making it difficult to put the book down.

At just over 300 pages, The Push is a quick read that you can easily devour in one sitting. Its fast-paced plot and compelling characters make it impossible to look away, ensuring that every moment is filled with suspense and emotional intensity.

In conclusion, The Push is a five-star novel that will leave you questioning the very foundations of motherhood and the hidden darkness within family dynamics. Ashley Audrain has crafted a debut that is both thought-provoking and heart-wrenching, solidifying her place as a powerful new voice in psychological fiction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicide, Abortion, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Self harm and Death of parent

thelibraryofanolive's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

THIS BOOK HAD ME CRAZED OMG IT WAS SO GOOD CANT EVEN PUT INTO WORDS HOW INVESTED I WAS

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Excrement, Dementia, Abortion, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book....WOW. Okay.

So what I want to say first is that I think going into this book expecting a thriller is a mistake. Even on the inside flap, it says it's more of a psychological drama. *Drama.* Anyone who goes into this expecting jump scares and some mystery to solve is going to be disappointed. I, however, went into it without any real expectations, other than that I knew it would be fucked up because every single person I spoke to who read it told me so. There are definitely horror elements, I would say, but I wouldn't say that it's a true horror or thriller.

The writing was so rich and haunting, it had me horrified even throughout the mundane parts of it, which I think takes a certain skill - a skill that I certainly don't possess. I also really enjoyed the themes within pertaining to generational trauma, found family, and how our parents - even if they want us to be different than they are, sometimes can't help but rub off on us. I also loved reading from Blythe's perspective - what an interesting and flawed character to get to be inside the mind of!!

I don't want to talk too much about what this book is actually about because I think you're better off going in at least partially blind. Be mindful of triggers and take care of yourself as needed.

I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long, long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Excrement and Fire/Fire injury

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual violence, Dementia, and Mass/school shootings

parkyparkpark's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual content, Suicide, and Blood

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Sexual assault