Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

6 reviews

shemcgee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Potential spoilers!
I would not consider this a romance. This is a beautifully written but terrible story. Our FMC Wavy is a young girl from an abusive family who forms an unlikely friendship with her father's associate that turns romantic while she is still underage. It's heartbreaking and while some have said they found themselves rooting for this unlikely couple to make it, I found myself grieving the life Wavy deserved. She didn't get what she deserved as a child, so I can see thinking that she should get what she wants as an adult, could even understand wanting that for her. However, I still think that the author wanted you to realize that while Wavy was extremely smart and mature for her age she still wasn't grown when they entered into the beginning of a sexually intimate relationship. She knew what she wanted, but should not have been granted it at that age because she wasn't old enough to understand consent. I have no doubt that Kellen loved her, and protected her in many ways, but not in every way. He still did the wrong thing by taking advantage of her. I know it's been a common occurrence throughout the ages for men to marry girls while they're in their early to mid teen years, and there have been many points throughout history when it's been considered normal; however, normal doesn't mean right. Kids need a chance to be kids. Wavy never got a chance for a safe childhood so in some ways it's like she never really grew up. She experienced so much trauma. So did Kellen. I don't think the author was trying to make you sympathize with or understand pedophilia, I think she was just trying to tell a story of two very complicated people in who loved each other in complicated ways that were definitely not always the right ways. They found a way to be a bright spot for each other in the darkness, and yet I think if anything, the author has shown us that sometimes, love just isn't enough to make a situation right. You might find yourself wishing for peace for them, but wondering if they do get peace, will that be enough for either of them to heal? Both of them are broken, albeit in different ways. Definitely a book that makes you think and certainly not a book for everyone. A troubling read that I would read again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Racial slurs, Racism, and Vomit

jreads2me's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Very engaging book. Makes you think. Different perspectives are written well. Cried many times throughout the book. Don’t look at chapter names in the TOC, has minor spoilers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Dysphoria

fiainkvinna's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

shlelbylyn's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism

maddys's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.5

I don't know how to rate this one. While the content of this book is disturbing, the structure and Greenwood's writing and storytelling is beautiful and gripping; I could not put this book down once I started it. Greenwood uses multiple POVs to tell this story and provide different perspectives. This serves to not only give the reader a glimpse into Wavy and Kellen's insight (the two main characters who form a problematic, disturbing, and co-dependent "romantic" relationship), it also provides readers with a semblance of relief through characters like Aunt Brenda and, lesser so, Butch and minor characters who show some concern in their narrative about Wavy and Kellen. 

Greenwood's note to readers at the end is worth reading and provides valuable context; this book was loosely based on her own childhood. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things explores important topics such as consent, poverty, and misogyny and domestic violence, and highlights the failures of individuals and systems in Wavy's life that led her as a child to only feel safe and secure with a man 10+ years older than her. While we can be (rightfully) angry and disturbed at Wavy and Kellen's relationship, we should point that same anger toward the teachers who turned a blind eye to Wavy, the social workers who failed to properly assess Wavy and Donal's safety, and to Aunt Brenda who sensed their was something seriously wrong but alerted no authorities. Both Wavy and Kellen grew up in abusive homes where the appropriate love and support were never given or demonstrated to them. It is also implied that Kellen has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which can impair impulse control, understanding actions and their consequences, and judgment. 

This book is disturbing and not for everyone. This is not a romance. There is explicit child abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) and the reading experiencing is frustrating and emotional. But the book itself - the writing, the storytelling, and the characters - is masterfully done, and I look forward to reading more from Greenwood. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Death of parent

danakaufman's review

challenging emotional tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship