Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

110 reviews

kerrinikole's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Jesus
Ok
Um
That held literally fucking nothing back
What
That was impressively hard to read because it was very well written

Also what the fuck why would u say that about benji???

I love ramona and benji and bobo (i listened to the audiobook so idk it’s that’s how theyre spelt)

‘Its never your fault is it? When are you going to admit that it isnt hockey that raises these boys its you’

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

meb1916'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? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I feel so conflicted about this book. It's so beautiful and so painful. I read it because of a recommendation that definitely didn't touch on how truly dark it is. It took me a long time to finish this because of how difficult the subject matter is. It's written about so truthfully that it hurts to read. You can easily imagine your own community, friends and family in the place of the people of Beartown. 
I think this book is incredibly important for a lot of reasons, and I'm grateful I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse and Child death

lenor1058's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

Very slow to begin with - to the point of wondering what the point is. Things happen i fell into it and loved it latterly 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sabrinaaa720's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Tough themes, difficult to read. Very human. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Violence, and Grief

superciliary's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, and Violence

Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Racism

Minor: Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

xiggy's review against another edition

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

I thought I was going to hate this book. It’s not a book I would typically pick up. I hate so many of the characters in this book and the mentality but that’s the point. The good characters continue to grow and be good and the bad ones well some grow up and learn something and some don’t. Most don’t. I wanted so badly for justice if there wasn’t any I would still hate this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

katherina_lei's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Tragic and beautiful all at once. This book made cry, but I also loved it. Backman has the most beautiful prose and I love the way I think about people, myself, and the world when I am reading his books, and this one was no exception.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence

storieswithannej's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

Beartown started slow for me. I stopped at 30% after THE INCIDENT because it pained me as a woman, to see my kind hurting that much. I needed to breathe for weeks because of that.

When I get back to Beartown, my hands can never put it down. So I tried to stay up late to finish it and failing to do so and instead wrap it up the following morning.

I was wearing a poker face at first when I went in. Good thing I brought some other masks as my expression changed from happy to sad to anger to depressed then anger again, shouting “IDIOT!” with Backman, each one louder than the last. I figured I brought the wrong head gear, or costume, in this matter. I should’ve fit myself in a whole hockey set. Because while the silent battles happen inside the victims’ heads, I want to knock my stick to every adult I pass just to put some sense in their heads. “And you dare call yourselves ‘adults’?!,” I might shout at them. I wish I have my helmet on as I fight with and for Amat inside the cafeteria and outside with Bobo as these kids try to disarm a kid who will always be the strongest warrior in the room even without his armor on. Okay, just second best, because Maya is the first. I long to have my own pucks to write messages for Maya, just to let her know that I care. I CARE SO MUCH that I wish I was there to save her.

I just want to be their friend. Even though it’s a town that stays silent, no “thank yous” or “I’m sorrys” and instead passed as “would you like a drink?” through meaningful eye contacts, I want to do the opposite. I want to hug Ramona and the men in black leather jackets, and repeat what Tails said to her: You are the strongest man in Beartown I know. I want to shout at Maggan Lyt, at the police, at everyone who’s turning a blind eye on what happened. But I think this is how the system works, in most countries, and sadly, in our society today.

I kept musing that maybe there’s a hidden meaning in all this. There’s something to study underneath this. Backman will always have my heart, mind, and soul in chokehold. His books make “souls fly” as he’d phrased. I am always grateful for the way he writes about humanity – with hearts and souls, not just with useless minds. What I love most about his works is the message that it is not too late for us. That there’s still goodness left in this world – if only we know how to “keep the right company.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

lucygibbons22's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.25

For me, it started out slow and I thought was kind of boring because all the characters fit very stereotypical roles but then they got so much more complicated and the journey they all went on was intense and difficult but relatable. So many twists. So many people to care about and root for and a few to hate. Great read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Classism