Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland

7 reviews

jstilts's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Beautifully written, I nevertheless found this book an absolute slog of a read. Terrible things happen to Alice throughout the book, which is heartbreaking, but terrible things fill the lives of the dozens of other characters as well to the point of ridiculousness. Everyone is damaged by death or abuse - even the most minor of characters - for instance a vet, who appears in a handful of paragraphs, has a dead wife and child on his mind. It's eye rolling and exhausting. A character we meet early on and only return to very late in the book has a child die at 5 because everyone needs a tragedy. Everyone has a story and every story is miserable.

Characters make the worst possible decisions at all times just to drive the grimness onwards and make Alice's life as miserable as possible. Her lov ng grandmother absolutely ruins Alice's life and the motivations are all incomprehensible beyond the author wanting their character to suffer.

Where I really gave up is when - SPOILER - Aluce falls ridiculously deeply and savagely in love literally at first sight with someone who of course turns out to be an abuser. I realise that it's not uncommon for victims of abusive families to find themselves with abusive partners but she didn't gravitate towards him, she didn't know the guy at all, so that's not what is happening here - it's just Alice Must Suffer!

Honestly, I wouldn't have finished this book if it wasn't chosen for a book club I'm hosting.

Utterly exhausting, which is a shame as it's beautifully written. One quirk is that most chapters feel like they could be the ending - at times it's like reading a collection of short stories that tell one narrative. I'd be tempted to try the author again so long as the subject matter is entirely different.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Deportation

thekpopbooktoker's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• 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

I happened upon this audio on hoopla and decided to give it a try. I really enjoyed the story of Alice and the journey her life took her through. The trials, the loves lost, the families found. This was beautiful written. I would love to read the physical book one day. 

There were points where I felt like crying. Points where I was getting so frustrated and upset with the characters. Which then makes you think of all the things they’ve lived through and the reasons they behave the way they do. 

This story does have some domestic violence themes and scenes as well as sexual assault. So please be aware of this when going into this story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault

snoogler's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-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

2.5

the setting surrounding this book was great, i could really imaging the aesthetic flower farms and the australian desert and the like, but that was the only win for this book. the plot was based solely around Alice’s trauma, and while it is important to talk about matters like abuse and destigmatize them , i found that the characters and plot was flat overall

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

kimberlyallen011's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Infidelity

ashyyy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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

4.75

This book feels so special, but I'm not entirely sure why. I fell into a world I was not expecting to find and lived alongside characters I grew to love and care for. I felt such a pull towards Alice Hart's character and the need to see her safe and looked after.
The writing was easy, yet beautiful, to read. I found myself enjoying the secret language of flowers and going back to discover what characters were saying to each other through them. I already want to read it again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

hannah_likes_to_read's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Fire/Fire injury

erynn223's review against another edition

inspiring 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Addiction and Sexual assault