Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress

25 reviews

gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This was a delight: fraught complex characters in an art college/in the NYC art world, with all intertwined relationships (not always romantic, but sometimes just competitive). The prose was great, each character felt well fleshed out and real whether you agreed with their choices or not. 

While all 4 of them live in their privileged bubble of the art scene in 2011-2012, it was fascinating to see their character growth when all they need to worry about is how they’ll make money off their art, how they as people are perceived (which is tied to how to make money), their relationships with art and other artists. 

The characters find their own muses in a way that feels genuine to them, even if ultimately I felt like shaking them by the shoulders to be like “OMG what are you DOING”. 

This academia novel was a delicious jewel to listen to. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape

Minor: Drug use and Addiction

sealbrecht's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Death, and Suicide

sadhamster's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Domestic abuse

Minor: Sexism and Vomit

paradicsomleves's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death of parent, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide

tirrato's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

jokehelldo's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

Stunning writing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

hannahshriver5's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was not what I was expecting going into it. It was interesting and unlike any other book I have read before, however there is a general lack of plot which was offputting to me. The characters are unpredictable, making them more real and intriguing, but if you are not a fan of untrustworthy narrators, this book probably isn't for you! The story's pacing was also somewhat strange and the first part compared to the second part differed greatly in how much character development took place. However, the last 75ish pages made me enjoy this book much more! Also - I have seen this book marketed as dark academia and to me, it was not (definitely more NYC art scene/modern college coming of age).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death and Violence

queenkath32's review against another edition

emotional reflective

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and Suicide

_jennaalbright_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

A beautiful novel that explores how, despite someone’s wrongdoings or faults, there is still a person inside who is deserving of love and a second chance at life. The art world was, in my opinion, excellently explored at a level that was digestible to someone who is not well-versed in that field. The characters are raw, tangible, and sometimes absolutely infuriating, but you cannot help but flip the page, eager to know where their lives will lead. No one character is the same, and I found myself equally invested in different aspects of each character's life. A new favorite on my shelf that did everything I want out of a literary fiction novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, and Drug use

erinpoo's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

“Often, Karina would come home to find that Louisa had spent the evening painting swampy landscapes or fantastical birds or great, greedy, oceanic swaths of sky, the kind of sky that didn’t exist in New York and never would.”

my reverence for this book transcends all limits of language. in every way, this was  a breathtaking kunstlerroman. it was magnetic, and it holds your attention even as it is fractured into different voices and perspectives; you’re never really broken out of the story until you arrive at the very ending (which still haunts me to this day). it’s just such an enrapturing depiction of the [contemporary] art world, of ambition and academia. at some point it unraveled a provocative discussion around how cutthroat the industry is, and how brutal it is to even pursue art in itself with capitalist forces, competition, commercialism, class, or generally the influence art has on its creators and audiences of all genders and ages. one thing i noted was also how it touches on the individualism that is demanded, if not coming naturally, in order to survive in the creative trenches lol

whilst this would have been a five star if there were no men (i don’t even say this to be funny, i genuinely thought their point of views were rather unnecessary and contributed nothing very substantial, louisa and karina is a love story for the ages and i stand by that! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Racism, and Rape

Minor: Suicide