Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

977 reviews

desiderium_incarnate's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Tbd

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol

criscroscris's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death of parent

fbc_2122's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy

rtanner17's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

I didn’t expect to, but I read this book in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down. Mostly because I was so enthralled with the relationship, so encapsulated and wanted to see how it ends. 

I can see why people can find this a difficult story to relate to. If you haven’t experienced anything similar to the characters, some of the plot lines can seem unrealistic or unnecessarily dramatic. But this book does a fantastic job at displaying an anxious attachment/avoidant attachment relationship. Not only that, but other themes such as how trauma can affect a persons character, differences in classes, battles with mental issues, the effects that loneliness has on young people. It is a beautifully written story that is honest and real. While it doesn’t have a traditional “happy ending”, we can see that the characters have changed so much and carry the good from their past as they move forward into their futures. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

biapoweer's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

fiwwa's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Sexual violence

miilk's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

Connell and Marianne were kinda made for me

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Racism

Minor: Death of parent

yyyykkll's review against another edition

informative slow-paced

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

3.25

poor Helen

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Alcohol

Minor: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

staci64's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

I like Rooney’s writing style but the millennial angst, the weird trauma from childhood that affects both Connell and Marianne to various degrees and in different ways is just a burden. It’s basically a coming of age story of two young people in love who can’t seem to be together and make it work. I know this is an older, popular book. Popular enough to be made into a Netflix show. No, I won’t be watching. It’s depressing. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Connell and Marianne need Jesus.

marimoon9's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Toxic relationship