Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

65 reviews

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Dysphoria

omega's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Biphobia, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Medical content, and Grief

sydthereader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Colonisation

egg_apologist's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Dysphoria

nel0nen's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Car accident

Minor: Death and Lesbophobia

morgasm's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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

5.0

Deeply triggering but deeply impactful. The author overlaps spirituality and “individual” identity in a dark, poetic, perfect way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Self harm

Moderate: Rape and Dysphoria

raila_h's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual assault and Dysphoria

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

orlagal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

pm_me_book_recs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

 I listened to this via Libro.fm- it's read by the author and absolutely incredible. Highly highly reccomend. Their tone is meditative, the cadence is hypnotic and dreamy.

An amalgamation of Nigerian folklore and spirituality, psuedo-autobiographical origin story, examination of mental health, sexuality, and gender expression, and deep effects of multiple traumas. Despite coming from a completely different situation and life, I found reflections of my experiences, which helped me feel real and seen. I think many other Queer and/or non-conforming folks could find cathartic comfort here as well. I wouldn't call this a "happy" story, but cathartic (emotionally purging). You're gonna cry, ugly sad mortified cry, but also warm hug after a bad day cry.

I'm so excited to read EVERYTHING else by Akwaeke Emezi, their new novel "Little Rot" comes out this Spring, and they're currently releasing a new album 🔥

CW: rape, disordered eating, suicide, self-harm, addiction, gaslighting, psychosis, dysmorphia, emotional/physical abuse, medical trauma, trans/homophobia, death, miscarriage. Definitely check StoryGraph for more in depth analysis of content warnings if there are specific topics you wish to avoid. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

kodi_rae's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

Beautiful, graphic, and unlike anything I’ve read. So interesting and so we’ll done. I loved it. I think Emezi has a knack for writing about the uncomfortable and asking tough questions of their reader. I might like this one slightly more than The Death of Vivek Oji but they are both brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Dysphoria