Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

18 reviews

atuin's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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

4.0

A fascinating exploration of trans identity and relationships. This book focuses heavily on deeply flawed characters (especially Reese). Every character does deeply frustrating actions that nevertheless feel perfectly in character. There is discussion on how characters feel they must conform to certain stereotypes in order to validate their own gender identity, and the harm it does to them and the people they are close to. The ambiguous ending is indicative of the fact the book has no true answers to the many problems found within, and we, like the characters, have no choice but to try to figure out what solution is most fitting with the characters. 

In particular, Reese became frustrating with her self destructive behavior and her refusal to learn from her mistakes, constantly doing the same thing over and over while refusing to accept responsibility. Even at the end she only felt bad about a mean letter, not the cheating or emotional abuse she committed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, and Transphobia

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

One of the Main characters, Reese, cheats on her partner multiple times, and later on cheats again with a married man.

anthsoprano's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

honestly torrey peters' writing is so funny and captivating and brutally real. written by a trans woman for trans women, but also as someone under the trans umbrella, if i had tried to read this a year ago i'd throw it down the stairs with how real it hits.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage and Outing

lily_peach's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Violence

Moderate: Transphobia, Racism, Outing, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Body shaming

leadpal's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Sexual content, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Infertility, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Violence, Pregnancy, Stalking, Self harm, Hate crime, and Abortion

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Rape, Medical content, Homophobia, Mental illness, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder

squidknees's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Outing, Abortion, Classism, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Drug use, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

auudrey's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Deadnaming, Outing, Pregnancy, and Transphobia

Moderate: Miscarriage, Racism, Sexism, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Hate crime

natalienicholas's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Dysphoria, Miscarriage, Abortion, Blood, Death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Transphobia

brynalexa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Wonderful exploration of found family and diversity of queer relationships and culture. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Abortion, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Miscarriage, and Death

Moderate: Deadnaming, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Misogyny, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Drug use

redrosemoth's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is complex with interesting and imperfect characters. My only critique is the plot overall didn’t go very far and I wish it had. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Abortion, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Deadnaming, Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Outing, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Toxic friendship

shirtypantser's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

0.75

The writing is good, the story is not. 

The premise is stupid (I don't say that lightly), the two trans characters are unlikeable and one is unredeemable. Racism, sexism both present on a regular basis in this. Author went pretty deep on fetishes but didn't quite pull off the point I think they were going for. I'm horrified this book is out there representing the trans fem community. This book gives the impression it was written by someone that doesn't actually like or much respect trans women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Fatphobia, Ableism, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Physical abuse