Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Mezi krásou a ošklivostí

Glorified and celebrated pedophilia, plain and simple. I don’t care about the nuance of the protagonist’s childhood and trauma; there is no such thing as a “love story” that begins with a 20-something year old man and an 8 year old CHILD.

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crystalstarrlight's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

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

1.0

Bullet Review:

Did you ever wanna read about how a rapist grooms his child victim and how it would have been totes okay for him to marry his barely 14-year old victim if only it wasn't for her pesky aunt calling in the authorities and working diligently (at the expense of her marriage!) to get him incarcerated?

If you thought "Lolita" was a horrible book because of the way it "glorified" Humbert's fucked up perception of Dolores, then avoid this like the plague. Because instead of playing Kellan's predatory behavior as what it is, it's considered twoo WUB.

Despicable. I don't need to read statutory rape apologism. Sad because the writing and the way the author creates characters is exemplary.

Also, given the author's backstory, this reads as a book written to justify the abuses that were done to her.

Lastly: they may not have had penis-in-vagina sex when she was barely 14, but Kellan fingered her. That's still sex in my book and for many other couples (such as lesbian couples).

ETA: Leaving a couple of recent articles here for good measure:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/us/politics/roy-moore-alabama-senate.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/30/theater/kevin-spacey-gay-anthony-rapp.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2017/10/05/rose-mcgowan-calls-hollywood-complicit-after-harvey-weinstein-allegations-surface/737198001/

http://time.com/5015204/harvey-weinstein-scandal/

These are the PUBLIC ones. Many more stories of adult men grooming children and/or sexually harassing children are out there.

Content Warnings

kkrebo's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

2.75

This honestly was a really tough read for me. :(

I love the writing and concept but the pedophila was too much for me. While I get that Wavy and Kellen’s relationship is supposed to supersede the taboo because their love is true - I couldn’t get past it. I truly loved the concept and themes but I just couldn’t get over it sorry!

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beccadyerhair's review against another edition

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2.0

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klmreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

Content Warnings

erica_reads_things's review against another edition

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challenging 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

An intensely fascinating read that really centers human beings and their flaws, survival in the midst of intense abuse, and love and connection that troubled individuals still deserve to have.
There are many reviews that I have seen that reduce this to a " groomer pedophile book", and I have to disagree. We clearly see Kellan's perspective because it is written. We clearly see Wavy's perspective because it is written. This book highlights how complicated human emotions can be and are, especially amongst families and communities that have been deeply traumatized. Traumatized people sometimes make choices that others don't understand; that maybe aren't healthy or "right", but what they feel they and those in their lives need.
This book made me feel a lot of things: uncomfortable, sad, hopeful, weepy. For that, I'd call this a win. It's understandibly not for everyone though, so check triggers.

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