Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

143 reviews

knoteboom's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This book took me a little bit of time to get into, but once I was there I was hooked. This book is not for the faint of heart and deals with serious themes. Backman did a fantastic job of seamlessly weaving multiple characters narratives into a compelling story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

suzydunk's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Child death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Rape

_rosie_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Eating disorder and Rape

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Addiction, Mental illness, Self harm, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Suicide, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Bullying, Violence, Classism, Death, and Drug abuse

amandalawrance's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Rape, and Child death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse

melissa_b_67's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Stalking, Bullying, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts

kananineko's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Homophobia, Bullying, Alcohol, Gun violence, Child abuse, Classism, Body shaming, Sexism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, and Eating disorder

Minor: Drug use, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Blood, Alcoholism, Child death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Death

nalaban's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Death

mmccombs's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

I had no expectations going into this novel and came out wowed. This was such a vivid portrayal of small towns, interpersonal politics, and a loyalty that can grow toxic. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed by the amount of characters, keeping track of everyone’s deal was a bit challenging, but ultimately I think it made the town feel convincingly small, everyone was all up in everyone else’s business. I also had no idea this was translated, so major kudos to the translator for making these words so impactful. Will be reading more of this author’s work asap!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Racism, and Homophobia

Minor: Child abuse

carolynbruce's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

It took a while for me to get really interested, but once the first match begins, I was drawn into the story. I liked the narration style, constantly shifting to focus on different characters. One particular moment in the first act—a tasteless joke made in a locker room—told me everything I needed to know about the big reveal (the incident) halfway through the story, and tipped me off on the rest of the book. While the story was compelling, I was constantly taken out of it by the dialogue. So many lines were too…scripted. They didn’t speak like real people, too polished and sage and poetic. That style works beautifully for in Backman’s prose describing the town, but it felt unrealistic and stilted in the dialogue. The ending also felt a little too corny—not everyone has a happy ending, but they all have grand, symbolic moments or conversations that wrap up their story in a kind of clumsy bow. The flowery writing style didn’t help matters here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Rape

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Bullying, and Homophobia

Minor: Child death, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

The entire second half of the book hinges on the rape of a main character. The town devolves into he-said, she-said nastiness and she is frequently discredited and further traumatized.

bookswithlauren's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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: Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racism, Drug use, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence