Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Mein Ein und Alles by Stephan Kleiner, Gabriel Tallent

62 reviews

alliereads_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark

1.0

Meandering and gratuitous trauma. I don't know why a grown man possibly thinks he could have anything insightful to say from the point of view of a little girl suffering from incest and abuse, but reading this was a great reminder of why I typically only read books written by women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

kellyofcali'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 rapidly consumed this book, which is heart-wrenchingly dark and awful, but very well written and you just keep reading hoping that it's going to get better (I won't say whether this want comes to be). It is really, really tough, so you have to be up for that kind of horrific material, but I found myself quickly entangled in the characters and story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Death, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Torture, Murder, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol, Bullying, Violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Animal death, Pedophilia, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Miscarriage, Abortion, Alcohol, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Alcoholism

Minor: Pregnancy

meeshreads's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is brutal, not an easy read. The story was a little slow to start, easing you into the world of Turtle and her father. For most of the book, I just had the horrible feeling that something bad was going to happen... Well, something worse, because it was not a good situation from the start. At some point, I got hooked and could not put this book down. It's just absolutely heart wrenching, uncomfortable, and upsetting in so many ways. I really loved Turtle, even when I didn't like her very much. I will be looking forward to more from this writer! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Rape

madelaine__grace's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Incest

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Gaslighting

betty_dav's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I need to go and sit in the sun for a while after reading this…

4* for the writing, characterisation and world building but 1* for enjoyability based on the subject matter (check tw’s) and bizarre choice of language at times (iykyk)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Incest, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

hattieb2000's review against another edition

adventurous 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

5.0

Blew my mind in the worst and best possible ways. So much to unpick and absolutely gripping, especially towards the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Kidnapping, Alcoholism, and Pregnancy

yilliun's review against another edition

dark medium-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

2.0

Let’s start with the good things: Tallent does a wonderful job of making you feel like you are THERE with the characters and can construct beautiful scenes through his EXTREMELY descriptive writing style. Sometimes I felt like I was walking with Turtle through the woods and on the beach.

The not so good: this book lacked the nuance necessary to approach the topics of child abuse and incest. 

Much of the time it felt like the author was writing from a totally different perspective than a 14 year old girl’s. I think there was a good story here, but there wasn’t enough compassion for Turtle. I understand that Tallent tried to walk the line between the deep care and fear Turtle held for her father. In the instances where we are immersed in Turtle’s stream of consciousness, Tallent excels at illustrating how the abuse permeates all aspects of Turtle’s life. He misses the mark more often than not. Specifically, the use of the word “pussy” for a 14 year old’s vagina is wholly inappropriate. It slants the scenes away from abuse and towards the experience being sexually gratifying (which is sadistic in its own way). Because of these scenes, I almost DNF’d this book. The twist ending did suck me back in.

I do think it was a satisfying ending to have Turtle kill Martin, her father. Turtle living with Anna in the end felt very Matilda/ Miss Honey dynamic to me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

There are multiple graphic depictions of incest and physical abuse.

cannibaldear's review against another edition

the grandfather's stroke as he was trying to keep Turtle safe hit too close to home

can't finish now, wish to come back when my grief isn't as prickly

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Cursing, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

jae_lou's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Rape, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

minimalistvampyre's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Child death, Animal death, Gore, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault