Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

94 reviews

bookishplantmom's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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 knew this book was vaguely about hockey in a small town. I certainly did not expect this book to be a powerful indictment of toxic masculinity

and rape culture

in sports. I knew it would be an emotional ride because duh it’s Backman. But phew this was… masterful and so so poignant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment

thehannahclaire's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

prairiefairie's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Classism

backyardroses's review against another edition

emotional reflective

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Homophobia

kirstensbabel's review against another edition

5.0

This is one of the best books I have ever read that is just about people. It flits through so many different povs from people in Beartown, yet somehow makes them each a complete and whole character, by showing them through the angles of themselves and everyone they know. It is really masterful. 
This book is also insanely sad. It is heart-wrenchingly devastating in a way that makes you feel this old, deep misery in your stomach. I felt genuine pain reading this and also thinking about it. I had to put it down sometimes not just because it's heavy (I've read much heavier books), but because every character is going through so much pain. Every person in the community whether you like them or not, is going through their own story and their own pain. 
It's a book about hockey. 
But it is not about hockey. 
I don't play hockey. I have never seen a hockey game. But it doesn't matter, because the characters love hockey. It is what brings them together and that is what you can connect to. 
This book is filled with so much love and sadness and hope and grief and pain, generally just so much emotion that it's hard to read sometimes from all the feeling Backman makes you do. 
My favorite characters are Benji (boy with the sad eyes and the wild heart), Kira (the mother wolf), Peter, Maya, Ana, Romona and Amat. I don't know if David is the best character or the worst one. 
The biggest tragedy is that in the first act Backman builds up all the pride and hope the town has for Kevin, that you start to feel that he's your hero too. So when the

rape

is committed, thats when you feel all of it fall away as if you are another person in Beartown. And then the rage comes, the rage at the fact that such an act can be committed and people will still say that the boy is innocent because they would rather

label a girl as a slut

than look in the mirror and see what their community as done to themselves. 
Last of all the writing is insanely gorgeous, simple at times but with lines that take your breath away. 
I did cry. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Vomit, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

mbrogs2024'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Blood, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

atelarico's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual harassment

florescentatertat's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

madd_1234's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

This book was so devastating and heartbreaking, and yet I couldn’t put it down. I could not stop thinking about this book, and after finishing it I still can’t, as I am constantly reminded that its contents aren’t only fictional. 

Overall a really good story, easy to read and understand while still tackling big issues, and maintaining a sense of hope throughout. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Violence, and Classism

bookhead420's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

Not a fun or easy read, as one would expect based on the subject matter. But a very compelling look into community culture and ripple effects - the effects of pervasive silence and what we allow/encourage because of it, the effects of one person speaking a harsh truth.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment