Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

56 reviews

singalana's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

A dwindling town, passion for hockey and a crime that divides the town. What price are the people willing to pay for hockey? 

During the course of the story we get to know a cast of characters whose lives revolve around hockey in one way or another. Each of the characters have their own struggles in life, but when one of the players is accused of rape, people will have to decide who to believe and what hockey really means to them. 

The story paints a vivid picture of Beartown and all its inhabitants. It does a good job shedding light to the complex motivations people have behind their actions, and also allows the reader to read between the lines when necessary. 

At first, the book allows us to get to know the characters and their circumstances. Then a hockey player rapes a girl. The scene isn't described in needless detail, but is impactful nonetheless. When the events are made public, the people of Beartown react. 

This book deals with shame, rape culture and culture of silence. It touches on many important topics with gentleness and respect. 

The ending surprised me, and I thought it was as satisfying as it could be, considering the circumstances. I think everyone who spends time in testosterone filled environments such as a hockey team would benefit from reading this book. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Homophobia, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Medical content

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

adamc90's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Bullying

_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

flavours_of_fiction's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Misogyny

Minor: Emotional abuse, Grief, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Self harm, Body shaming, Drug use, Physical abuse, Addiction, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, and Racial slurs

suesobo's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

This is an excellent book if you can get into it for the long haul, this is how this author works. You'll get perhaps a negative First second and third impression and then you got to take the journey with him to get to the end and see if you still agree with all your initial thoughts. And along the way you're going to meet tons of characters.... and you're going to get mad and sad and happy and glad....all the emotions and frustration. And by the end you just have to decide were they right, were they wrong or what would you do in the same situations? Because even though there's right and wrong, most humans find that area of gray every single time and they always know how to justify it. What's your moral high ground? How long can you stand on your pedestal before it cracks? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Rape

Minor: Alcohol and Homophobia

toriffic's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Toxic friendship, and Misogyny

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Alcohol, Classism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Homophobia and Racism

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Classism, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Sexual content, Homophobia, Medical content, Fatphobia, Blood, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Mental illness, Body shaming, Racial slurs, and Vomit

Minor: Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Abandonment, Self harm, Stalking, Cursing, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Animal death, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

tabear's review against another edition

emotional tense 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Drug use, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Violence

katiegurnett17's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

4.25

this story was enraging in the best way. after 30 pages i felt very connected to the characters and i’ve never felt so angry and protective of a character before. this book brought out emotions in me that i didn’t even know i had. a very difficult very delightful book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Rape, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Gaslighting

Minor: Homophobia and Racial slurs