Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen

15 reviews

kylieqrada's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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

4.5

This was fun and hard-hitting at the same time. Teen Harley is super well developed, and the author wrote this novelization so it would fit with her canon backstory without romanticizing some of the more unsavory aspects. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Rape, Death, and Mental illness

harleyc's review against another edition

adventurous tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Death and Sexism

Her father is emotionally abusive, and she forms a sort of girl gang to "punish" offenders who keep getting away with harassment and such. There is also a teacher/student relationship where the teacher is subtly grooming and preying upon the student.

ramenlasagna's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

So nice to read a story about one of my favorite characters growing up with such progressive and inclusive characters and themes. I’ve never really watched or read anything with a bisexual main character (at least that includes a character in the mainstream media) and as someone who is bisexual, that representation was awesome. I flew through this book and cannot wait to read the rest of the trilogy. This taught me that I love reading and have just always struggled to find the right book. Highly recommend! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

itaby's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

christikb's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

I had no idea what to expect of Harley Quinn: Reckoning. For all that Harley Quinn was introduced in an animated TV series ostensibly geared for children, her character development since then has been anything but. So a young adult book series focusing on Harleen Quinzel before she ever became a psychiatrist, before she ever fell in love with the Joker? I guess you could say I was skeptical, but because she's one of my favorite characters of all time I had to read it. And I absolutely enjoyed it! Yeah, it wasn't full-tilt, uninhibited Harley Quinn, but it wasn't meant to be. You could see how she'll develop into it, but right now, she's still at that weird 18-19 year old phase where everybody reads like a sociopath and we're just looking for our people. This book NAILED the found family aspect of Harley, her intelligence, her deep-seated loyalty, and her genuine dark moments that evolve into Harley Quinn. There were a few out-of-character YA moments of, "we can't let her really kill this guy, right?" that frustrated me a smidge, but I was far too obsessed with the story of a girl gang meting out feminist justice and coming face to face with the villains of Gotham to really get upset about it. Honestly, this book gave me all of the feminist vigilantism I could ever want and did it with a deeply diverse cast of girls "from the wrong side of the tracks." Plus it was WONDERFUL to read a Harley written by a woman!!! Really looking forward to book 2!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

pedanther's review

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Sexism, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Confinement, and Death of parent

Minor: Racism and Classism

scarroll178's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault

mediocremasen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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

3.0

I really liked the payoff to the foreshadowing. There were multiple examples of successful foreshadowing meeting satisfying conclusions.
The twists are also very interesting and compelling.
It's a fun read that maybe could have been a bit quicker, but I understand wanting to develop the world and the characters to show the differences with other canon examples.
The friendships were fun and the evolution at the wrapup in the end is realistic, if not a bit sad.

Very interested to see what happens in the next book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture

imstephtacular's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Graphic: Sexual assault, Classism, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Torture, Terminal illness, Stalking, Medical content, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Cursing

Minor: Grief and Bullying

littlewishling's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring fast-paced

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

4.0

A super fun take on Harley Quinn with lots of badass female characters taking on misogyny and the patriarchy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Child abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Death, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Death of parent