Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe

10 reviews

lindsayhotrod's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

jackkoskinen's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Violence, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, and Outing

writingbookscoffee's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Outing

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, and Abandonment

lilyaugust's review

dark emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Suicide

sparksofcuriosity's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Murder

hanconcan's review

dark emotional funny sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

As devastating as it is beautiful, the kids are most definitely not alright, but they're surviving. Deeply flawed characters who you can't help but root for as they navigate being othered during high school in the California suburbs. I felt incredibly seen by this book, these characters, this narrative. Can't wait to read Rufi Thorpe's other novels.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Vomit

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

cheye13's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

"What were you supposed to do with pain but polish it until it became something pointy and pretty?"

This book ruined me, a little bit. In these characters, I saw such visceral glimpses of myself and those I love most – the ways we love, the ways we laugh, the ways we hurt ourselves and each other. This is not a pleasant read, this is not a fun read. But it is so excellently crafted that it blooms into catharsis rather than wilting into misery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Violence, and Medical content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual content, and Vomit

Minor: Bullying, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Religious bigotry

There is an instance of a traumatic brain injury causing memory problems. There is a lot of reference to prison and the experience of being a prisoner. The rape is conveyed secondhand, through dialogue; it is date rape involving blacking out/lack of memory. It may also be worth noting that Michael lies about his age, so the men he sees aren't aware that he is under legal age.

saundra's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This book kept me engaged and turning the pages. It examines the overlap of love, violence, and fear. While the narrator can be funny at times, calling it humorous doesn't seem fitting. It's definitely more dark and reflective. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

allzen_nochill's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

Hmm. Big hmm. I liked the writing style of this book, plus Michael as an outsider-looking-in narrator to Bunny's story is interesting. But the ending of this felt like we missed some developments, some plot threads. I guess that's realistically what happens when friendships fade, but as a reader of a book I want more. I truly believe that this is Bunny's story, Michael is just our storyteller, and I wanted to know more about how she evolved during their period of non-contact. Big, big, hmm.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Hate crime, and Homophobia

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, and Violence