Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

아몬드 by 손원평

43 reviews

teabrewer's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

When this book was first shown to me, it was described as Yunjae's story but it actually both Yunjae and Gon's. Two young boys called monsters and rejected by society for different reasons. They're so opposite they become similar.

Dora seemed like a random adition to the story, mainly because she could be completly removed without altering much. She felt like an accessory only written in to make an oportunity where romantic love could also be mentioned.

I don't know if the alexithymia representation was well done since I know nothibg about it and haven't seen anyone that does talking about this book. I didn't fully like the end, but didn't fully hate it either. I like the scenes where he was a small child, helpless for depending on grown ups that didin't take him seriously and trying to correspond to his mother's expectations. It made very interesting scenes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse

daylights's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective fast-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: Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Terminal illness, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

ciarag88's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty, Violence, and Toxic friendship

This book is so sweet and heartwarming. I had heard good reviews on this book and I am so glad I read it as I had never read a book such as this before. I love how it is fast paced and is written in short chapters. Beautifully translated, did not lose its meaning.

the ending is a bit too perfect, but it is a young adult book. The violent scene with Gon came out of nowhere also, but I am glad his mother woke up to see him evolved as she always wanted him to be

youkirmv's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse, Terminal illness, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

dominiq_ec's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book made me cry in the ending pages, and while I don't let myself cry often, it's usually a sign of a pretty good book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

rachjy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective relaxing sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

gossameralbum's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Somebody shook my shoulders. Gon was hugging me in his arms. “Don’t die. I beg you. I’ll do anything for you . . . anything . . .” Gon whimpered. He was covered in blood.

this chapter shattered me. though the ending was a bit clunky, this was such a beautiful read, it made me smile many times.
here is another part i highlighted that i found profound:

There was this day when Mom asked a question to Granny, who was carefully writing hanja for love.
“Mom, do you even know what that character means?” “Of course!” Granny glared at Mom, then in a deep low voice, she said, “Love.” “What does love mean?” Mom asked mischievously. “To discover beauty.” After Granny wrote the top part of the character , then the middle part,  (meaning “heart”), she said, “These three dots are us. This one’s mine, this one’s yours, this one’s his!”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

navayiota's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Yet another banger. I wish I had known earlier that there are so many great Korean authors, and I hope others won't make the same mistake as me and wait so long to explore Korean literature. I can easily see this becoming a modern classic, and it will be completely justified. Almond is a flawless exploration of disability in society, and a character study of a boy unable to feel emotions. This book had me gasping, tearing up and giggling.. highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Gun violence

molly_rose's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic friendship and Abandonment

wollhaarmammut's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

While I enjoyed the overall premise of the book, the plot was a bit much for me. I would have loved to explore the thoughts and human connections of the protagonist more, to be able to really get inside his head. Unfortunately, the overwhelming and sometimes painfully absurd plot did not allow me to relate as much with the characters as I would have liked.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Toxic friendship