Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

15 reviews

bootrat's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia and Homophobia

Moderate: Child abuse

t_rex_'s review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring reflective 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

4.5

This book was outstanding! Rita Mae Brown has such a way with words, it flows off the tougne and makes pure serotonin drip off you. Molly (the main character) has such an interesting and complex personality that is perfectly portrayed and is so refreshing to read, and her take on the world is strong and powerful! Highly, highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Sexism, Racism, Homophobia, Abortion, Lesbophobia, and Incest

The insest is a very very small section that is only ever talked about once, there is no actual acts of insest, it is just mentioned later on in the book. Child abuse is touched on near the beginning and it is mentioned slightly more then other things.

nataliebootlah's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

The story of Molly Bolt, a lesbian in postwar America, is just as relevant today as it was when it originally published in the 1970s. While we’ve seen more progress and acceptance in recent years, the LGBTQ+ community still faces many issues Molly does.

The main focus is Molly’s exploration of her own sexuality and the community surrounding her—the good, bad, and ugly parts of it. Molly is shamelessly unapologetic about who she is, what she feels, and what she desires, giving us a brazen and bold coming of age story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Child abuse

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Misogyny

patchhadley's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexism, Biphobia, Racism, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Cursing, Cancer, Drug use, and Forced institutionalization

tinstae's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, and Child abuse

Moderate: Racial slurs, Death of parent, Racism, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, Incest, and Adult/minor relationship

whimsykat's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Misogyny, and Homophobia

Moderate: Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Blood, Abortion, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Infidelity, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, Incest, Classism, Alcoholism, Racism, and Sexual harassment

sib_reads's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Homophobia, and Incest

Moderate: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Infertility, Suicide, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Antisemitism, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Misogyny

christcore's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

Lackluster autobiography. It's a classic, but not worth going out of your way to read in 2022 and beyond. I did find the narrator extremely well-realized. She is combative and compassionate and full of unexpected ideas. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, and Sexual content

mollyv's review against another edition

hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.0

It is hard to rate a book that has such historical significance for queer women - so a neutral rating seems fair. 

I can see why it has the praise it does, to read about such a confidently queer female character in a book written in 1973 and set even earlier was really interesting. To see the struggles that came with being queer and working class in the USA at the time was also very illuminating. 

However, the stance the book takes on some issues disturbed me. The acceptance of incest was particularly jarring and made me extremely uncomfortable. The several dub-con moments between the main character and others was also difficult to read and never critically discussed. The bandying about of slurs and racist opinions was also something that was not handled as well as I would have liked. There was also very weird adult/minor sexual relationships and moments which were extremely uncomfortable but not called out.  Be warned it is also very sexual, this is not a criticism, but it was something I was not expecting to that extent and did find a little difficult at times, especially when the main character was a child. 

Overall, as a queer woman I am glad I read it due to its importance to the community but I do not know if I could recommend it to others without a whole slew of warnings attached. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Homophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Antisemitism, Misogyny, Cancer, Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Outing

Minor: Infidelity, Infertility, Ableism, and Suicide

jamesflint's review against another edition

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Racism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Child abuse