Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Valley of the Dolls 50th Anniversary Edition by Jacqueline Susann

11 reviews

lollymac's review against another edition

dark 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Biphobia, Body shaming, Cancer, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Alcohol

The book was slow to start as Anne isn't the most interesting character to follow around. But I raced to the finish as it became a telenovela. If you want to read about career women who get punished for every bad decision they make, and men who do the bare minimum facing no consequences and getting rewarded for it.

vleighp's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

i thought this was gonna be sad but be a girly wow women friendships are so powerful!!! it was not and i am sad sad as hell!! very good read though

celisabeth's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

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

3.0

A very popular book of the time, this novel is set in New York and Hollywood. It is a story of glamour and beauty on the outside, and drugs and abuse on the inside. I was really sympathetic towards Anne’s story, as she just wanted to escape small-town life and she never had the intention of becoming famous. She holds on longer than the other women, but just like them she ends up in the Valley of the Dolls. I found her story incredibly sad, particularly as it drew to a close. Throughout the book, she never manages to maintain a happy, healthy lifestyle. In fact, she is the first to start popping pills (or “dolls”, as the women call them). I could see clear similarities between Jennifer’s story and that of Marilyn Monroe. Neely comes from nothing, and she is best friends with Anne when she first moves to the city. After getting a big break at a young age, she is catapulted into fame and stardom. She moves to Hollywood, acting in pictures and slowly losing touch with reality, only exacerbated by mistreatment in the industry. This book is sad, touching and truthful. Susann chooses to comment on society at the time, using these three women to represent attitudes towards women in the limelight during this period. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Self harm

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

rose12435's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

This book is dark and like bojack horseman for girls that enjoy drama and misery. While this book isn't happy, I genuinely enjoyed finding out how much worse the characters could get.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

This book is dark and not afraid to hurt it's reader. Please please please be careful when reading it

cgm42's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Suicide, and Lesbophobia

alpal_collective'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism and Homophobia

jupitervivienne's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

3.5

Like reality tv in book form. It’s not a piece of outstanding writing or anything, but with all the stereotypical scandalous Hollywood tropes it’s a fun read. Heavy on the offensive content that makes it clear it’s from the 60s, though at some point you just accept everyone and everything being awful and ride it out. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Ableism, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racism, and Lesbophobia

camillatd's review against another edition

0.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Abortion

Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, and Antisemitism

smelmo's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

noragjc's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

I felt like the book lacked direction, but surprisingly it wrapped up really well in the end. I expected the relationships between the three central women to be more robust

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Sexual assault

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Ableism