Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

47 reviews

erica_reads01's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My immediate reaction when I finished this book was that I don’t know how I feel. The story was beautifully written but it’s a horrible, traumatic story. There are multiple point of views which help to articulate how the two main characters feel and how others perceive them and the situation. You feel sympathy for people you don’t want to sympathize with and I think there’s an unnecessary level of shock value. It’s highly controversial and it didn’t have to be, but I’ll certainly be thinking about it for a while. And it gets people talking about it whether they’re defending or criticizing it. It’s not a love story. But it could have been. And I would have loved it if it were. In many ways I think the story could have been beautiful and uplifting if it were about a girl and a boy of similar age in similar life circumstance. 

I would have loved the ending if that were the case. Instead when Kellen and Wavy end up together, part of me wanted them to go their separate ways. I think realistically they would have never lasted. Kellen is described as slow and uneducated. He’s rough and likes to fight and doesn’t think much about his actions. He’s described like a boy personality wise and physically portrayed like a big scary man. But he doesn’t grow up, and in the end Wavy does grow. What happens when she outgrows him? Will she ever? Or will she feel bonded by the trauma they endured? Did he prevent her from living a better life and meeting people her own age or were her home circumstances so messed up that she would have never gotten out? Could something worse have happened to her if he didn’t step in? Did he help her or hurt her? He did both.

 

This is not an age gap romance. This is not a happy love story. This is about a girl who’s had a really tough life and the people who either take advantage of her or try to help her. Her aunt was portrayed like a villain for the way in which she tried to help. She was an antagonist but her opinions and feelings on their inappropriate relationship was probably the only realistic one.  I don’t think the time period or the circumstances justify what kellen does. Wavy wasn’t mature for her age. Parentification forced her to grow up and care for others in a way no child should have to. And she was a child. In the end I felt such a strong emotional connection to her and wanted her and her brother to find happiness.  I couldn’t put this book down. I read it in less than two days but I’ll be thinking about it a lot longer. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Rape

Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts

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

samskiejo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, and Gaslighting

roundtoread's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring sad tense fast-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

5.0

Omg WHAT did I just read!! Loved this book to the first 19 pages where the grandma said 

“I don’t mean to be cruel, but they were drooling vegetables.”
And to were the author includes the title in the book !!!

Wavy from the start was this little trama forced girl that didn’t deserve what she got but DAMN this book is a eye opener on the back of the book it says “Love knows no boundaries” and taht is very true in this book - love taht shouldn’t be 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

jaschamb6's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

jegulus4life's review against another edition

It was a free book on audible so I didn’t really know anything when I started it at first I was sure that it wasn’t going to go where it went. apparently I naively thought a familial bond was what the relationship was and just became more and more shocked. Once I got about half way through it became very clear this grooming/p*do thing was what the author intended. I looked up the book because I genuinely thought I must be missing something as surely the book would eventually condemn the relationship. It look me a while to even find anyone saying anything about the ages and when I did most people said it it doesn’t shift and show how inappropriate, unethical, and frankly disgusting it is so I immediately returned it. Don’t be tricked by the star ratings on goodreads ect.  ig this is a lesson to look up books before I read them

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Murder

mapillski'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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Cancer and Suicidal thoughts

erica_reads_things's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

An intensely fascinating read that really centers human beings and their flaws, survival in the midst of intense abuse, and love and connection that troubled individuals still deserve to have.
There are many reviews that I have seen that reduce this to a " groomer pedophile book", and I have to disagree. We clearly see Kellan's perspective because it is written. We clearly see Wavy's perspective because it is written. This book highlights how complicated human emotions can be and are, especially amongst families and communities that have been deeply traumatized. Traumatized people sometimes make choices that others don't understand; that maybe aren't healthy or "right", but what they feel they and those in their lives need. 
This book made me feel a lot of things: uncomfortable, sad, hopeful, weepy. For that, I'd call this a win. It's understandibly not for everyone though, so check triggers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Car accident, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Classism

julieslifelately_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

tcrivera12's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail