Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon

9 reviews

bookishrona's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

carojust's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This is a trippy story based on Persephone, Demeter and Hades -- an aimless teenage daughter caught in a billionaire's hell, while her mother dissolves, not knowing where she's gone, searching for her along the northeastern coast. 

I think there's only so many storylines about extremely beautiful, self-destructive blond waifs that I can take. If "The Guest" by Emma Cline and "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" by Ottessa Moshfegh are your faves, you'll absolutely love "Fruit of the Dead" -- it's formulaic and frenzied, the same drug haze and unconsenting / triggering scenes, the body odor and broken faces combined with "but she's still so pretty, prettier in fact," the trail of gross men who erode innocence, etc. A yacht girl, sugar daddy tale of caution. What anchors this book's plot, and differentiates it from the aforementioned titles, is the deep dive into a mother's complicated relationship with her daughter, and the desperation and sacrifice that come with that version of love. That perspective resonated with me, and I think helped this plot move along. The end is hurried and attempts to paint the mother as a hero, but falls flat for me, and misses an opportunity to build further on the tragedy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

emilycm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

gripping modern retelling that has its successes in the prose effortlessly done by rachel lyon. emer and cory's chapters and perspectives balanced rivetingly, and rolo as the looming overlord of the island was a violating rift in the complexity of their relationship, very well done -- not overdone at all as far as the myth goes. "fear, reversed, is rage" after all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Gaslighting

read up on the myth itself of demeter, persephone, and hades before reading! prepares you for content but also informs the subtle points of the prose.

sakeriver's review against another edition

challenging dark tense 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

5.0

There is a lot in this book about addiction, obsession, money, patriarchy, rape culture, and the tension between parents and children. That latter is what hit me the most, and the final line was just chilling. I think this is Rachel Lyon’s best work yet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Self harm

Moderate: Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

kds247's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

4.5

This is such a beautiful book. The text is almost like poetry and the two voices for both the mother and daughter are incredibly distinctive. I loved both of their voices more than I have in any other book. Now with that I would want to point out the content warning of rape and abuse. It is very much a factor that drives this book, and if it is a trigger for you do not read it. It was a very dark read but one of the most profound books I’ve read in a while. Specifically surrounding the themes of being a woman in all of its gorgeous and grotesque ways.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Death

megnut's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

An emotionally painful read. (As someone else put it: this was a story of trauma and control.)

The story was well done... but I don't feel comfortable recommending it. 

Cory's story made me heart hurt so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Drug use

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Death, Sexism, and Sexual content

gondorgirl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

caseythereader's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

katiemanring's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This is such a wild ride - I appreciate the dual perspective of this mythic retelling in a modern setting. I think the characters were well enough laid out and flowed into the story well. A theme I found interesting juxtaposition of the pharmaceutical industry vs the more humanitarian fields and how maybe not so different they are when you take a look at their operational underbelly. 

But more broadly this isn’t for everyone but for a literary fiction vibe of a mythical story it was pretty enjoyable.  Definitely worth checking some trigger warnings. 

Many thanks to net galley for the digital arc! 💕

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual content