Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Desconexión by Neal Shusterman

35 reviews

nafinboof95's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

I loved EVERYTHING about this book!
⚠️ Trigger warning! ⚠️ 
If you have issues with abortion or parents giving up unwanted children, this book might not be for you.
I started my adventures with Neal Shusterman with the Scythe series. It’s fun to imagine this in the same universe, way way earlier on in the timeline, one of humanity’s many “problematic times” before they put the Thunderhead in charge.
Pacing in this book was great. Stakes felt so high the whole time, and you had no idea how they could get higher until they did, and every time blew my mind. Pretty literally toward the end there. 😉
10/10.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Child death

Moderate: Child abuse and Abortion

Children younger than 18 can be retroactively aborted, their bodies being separated into pieces that others need to live happy lives, arguably meaning the original child never dying, just living in a “divided state.” Makes you think about what “life” really is.

aruktai's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad 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

5.0

It's almost frightening that I'm reading this at a time where it isn't impossible for a future in the far off to happen along these lines. Like The Handmaid's Tale, it expands from a long time persisting issue, pushing human morals and creating a solution for the issue, which is ridding the world of abortion but also of unruly, unwanted children.

Schusterman has this way of writing which makes it difficult to put down. The chapters and done bite size, leaving you reading more and more before you finally discover you're at the end. These kids are people you could have, will have and may well know in the future - if society took a wrong turn then it could become a horror reality like what Schusterman has created.

The one scene of unwinding has definitely made me think. It's always been a tiny thought that comes out now and then, what makes a human alive, but the scene will stick with me.

The ending wasn't too great, but it has opened the story up for the sequels, which I'll have to read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Medical content

Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment

emily_am's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

beware of chaper 61 and the bathroom scene.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Cursing, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War

I strongly advise to NOT read this book if you feel strongly like the content warnings will disturb you. If the disturbing feeling is what you're looking for, this is an amazing, eye opening book.

loreful's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Medical content, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Kidnapping, and Abortion

Minor: War

bunky_jones's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Suicide, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse and Violence

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

kissfist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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? Yes

4.75

Unwind is a dynamic and fantastic novel that reminds us that dystopia is not about hypothetical future horrors, but funhouse mirrors that eerily resemble our lived realities.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

thesunthesunthesunthesun's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Grief, Car accident, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, War, and Deportation

secretofmusing's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-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? No

4.5

I have thoughts but like I don’t know how to word them. I’ll maybe be back to update, maybe not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

This book takes the debate of life to the extreme. Read with caution.

ravenfaerie's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Violence, Medical content, and Abortion

milshollini's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria