Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Dig by A.S. King

6 reviews

numbat's review

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.5

This was a bit of a hard book to get into. There were many different points of view to keep track of that all came together in the end. Some of the themes were quite challenging, such as cancer and mental health and were perhaps not handled in a delicate way. That is to say a little glib. Overall it was engaging and well put together with some interesting gimmick and devices. The underlying current of racism was ever present but not really addressed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Drug abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Physical abuse

beccam22's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

I have heard this book pitched many time to me and I don’t think anyone I have heard talk about this book has read this book. Yes it’s kind of about potatoes, a pita or farmer, a character is called the shoveler. 

But this book is about racism, this book is about generational trauma and breaking out of that. This book is about trusting the next generation is not just lazy, whiney, and stupid kids. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

all of the characters are connected, the grandmother is I would say the most racist which is routed in receiving “black blood” after an accident that almost killed her and needing a blood transfusion following, being told she had “black blood” and feeling dirty/unpure ever sense. She passed this racism down to one child, the others have tried to do better. Her husband does get sick of her shit near the end of the book and wants to do better. The grandchildren all recognize the racism and want to do better. There is mention of white supremacy, neo-nazism, and hate crimes. There is also a character who is introduced as a very likable and caring person and come summer when he wears short sleeves has a “100% white power” tattoo. There are teenagers being recruited to join white supremacy groups outside their school. There is a girl who was kidnapped, raped, murdered, and buried in the woods but is not gone into in detail until the end of the book. A female character talks about douching with turpentine multiple times in the book.

ferdie's review

challenging dark mysterious 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

4.25

It is so rare that you see a book about white people discussing their race. I am so glad Dig exists and opens the door to reckon with the way white supremacy has a real impact on white people- it takes away responsibility and humanity. This book gives grace while holding white people responsibility for racism. It sometimes told rather than showed (especially in the beginning) but the ending was fantastic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

supersol375's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Incest and Rape

kell_xavi's review

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

3.0

As the author herself says, this book is uncomfortable. It’s unresolved. It’s weird. It contains a lot of trauma, mental illness, intergenerational biases and tensions, domestic violence, sexual assault, white supremacy, white guilt. It’s intelligent, includes complex conversations and resilient characters, and was engrossing. I liked it, though I didn’t enjoy it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Murder

Minor: Bullying, Medical content, and Alcohol

bee94's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, and Racial slurs

Minor: Cancer, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia