Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

17 reviews

mel_j's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

That was so dark but so beautiful. Truly an unique exoerience, with the layout as well. I loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Police brutality and Sexual assault

sharron_joy_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

August is a misfit, Jack is the golden boy, together they are the closest of friends. As Jack loses touch with reality, August joins him in his delusions and increasingly elaborate fantasy world. As they alienate all those around them eventually they both have to choose a path to truth. 

This is speculative realistic micro fiction, it is like reading a stream of thought, events happen in bursts with no definitive plan or direction. There are also multimedia elements throughout, drawings, reports, playlists. Told in short snappy chapters the pages physically darken as the mental health of both characters disintegrates so by the end of the book the pages are pitch black and harder to read, such a tangible way of showing the breakdown of the mind. 

This is not a comfortable read, August and Jack’s relationship is obsessive and toxic, there is an underlying intimacy that is really quite abusive and yet I liked them both. A compelling piece of realistic fiction that is a thriller at heart but pushes the boundaries of perception. How do you know the world you see is real? 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, and Fire/Fire injury

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

mysterious sad 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Cursing, Addiction, Child abuse, and Alcohol

sjonesb75's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Addiction, Confinement, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

midnightcomets's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This book wrecked me in so many ways, but it is such an important read that I want to cling to this story and breathe it until it is written in my bones. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Cancer

akaanshaa's review against another edition

4.0

Tw: Anxiety, Panic attack, PTSD, Depression, Parental neglect, Degenerative Hallucinatory Disorder, codependency, Pyromania 


Two kids who were neglected so much that they started being there for each other in whatever way the other one needs. This book is so heavy on triggers so if you read it please be very sure you can sit through it. 

In the authors note, Ancrum mentions "Now, August and Jack are fictional. They wind up okay in the end. They’ll learn how to love each other with fingertips, instead of claws. They will build a home and a life together, and there they will heal and grow." Yes they will but I hope everyone who had to go through anything remotely similar heals as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

li_reading's review against another edition

5.0

I’ll give a full review at some point but just know I’m running into the woods to recover as we speak

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, Violence, and Gaslighting

mari_library's review

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Medical trauma

Minor: Medical content, Stalking, and Sexual content

notpresent22's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is complex and not for the faint of heart. But in the end it’s a fascinating love story between two young boys as they struggle with a world that is letting them down. It’s the kind of story that makes you desperate to learn what happened after the final page but will likely never get an answer to. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, and Addiction

Pyromania

beforeviolets's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

5.0

The imaginative playfulness of Bridge to Terabithia meets the grungy high school setting and character style of The Perks of Being a Wallflower meets the romanticized codependency of A Separate Peace.

A book that masterfully discusses mental illness, trauma, and the struggle of being teenager who has to grow up too quickly. This magical, emotional, and brilliant story illustrates how trauma can result not just from direct action but from indirect action and what it means to care and be cared for.

All my lonely burnt out gifted kids, give this one a read. And don't skip the dedication or the author's note.

TW:

schizophrenia/psychosis, mental illness, panic attacks, fire (pyromania), medical content, chronic illness, parental abuse/neglect, eating disorder, forced institutionalization, sexual content (brief mention), violence and blood (brief), underage drinking, toxic relationship

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Eating disorder, and Violence

Minor: Sexual content