Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson

8 reviews

readingqueerly's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

The last 150 pages just had me yelling 'what the fuck' while gasping and/or screaming over and over. I cannot believe I have to wait for book three.
Truly, these books are such a great depiction of what it means to be a woman in a man's world, even when you KNOW you're better or more powerful than them. There was a very satisfying moment even towards the ending that had me cheering on all of this woman's wrongs.
But it's also imo an incredible piece of fantasy that incorporates some very heavy topics like substance abuse, DV, the complexity of family, the complexity of being human. The way I started out with such a bias against one of the main characters because of how book one was set up; and seeing her story in full learning and growing with her and where she ends up at the end of book two is truly an amazing journey. This author manages to balance plot and character focus so well. 
I must also applaud the story building. I am rarely this surprised by a book, but this and book one have had me in whiplash from all the twists and turns I did not see coming. And the way they just make sense too!!!! Everything is set up so well, making all the plot twists connect and work out to one complete story. 
I cannot wait for book three. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Misogyny

imds's review

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, War, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Abandonment, Death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, and Death of parent

rabelais's review against another edition

3.0

the underlying premise of magic continues to be transmisogynistic. why? why is it necessary to require the entire existence of the world to be based on transmisogyny??? 🤬

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Abandonment, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Violence

keya_caivalur's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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: Torture, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Addiction, Drug abuse, Grief, Blood, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Miscarriage, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, War, Misogyny, and Child abuse

Minor: Hate crime, Death of parent, Dementia, Genocide, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Child death, Bullying, and Cursing

foxwish's review

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

This was definitely a step down from book 1 for me, I was disappointed. I hoped Ciara would make for a compelling POV read, but I preferred Niamh and missed the found family vibes of Elle, Holly, Niamh, Theo and Luke from the first book.

We get Theo, Chinara and Luke POVs here. I liked Theo's a lot, but found Luke's so boring that I started skipping his POVs when they came up (except for the very last one).

You can really feel the loss of the characters who died in the last book. I found it difficult to care about the characters or the plotlines, Ciara's one was okay, but Leonie's was boring, Theo's was just to set up the cliffhanger and Elle's was for shock value.

Hale took a dive from a potentially interesting villain in book 1 to a generic evil-doer that is hard to take seriously in this book.

I do think my main issue is Ciara. I don't know what to make of her. She has a lot going on mentally, yet I feel like she lacks depth and she isn't compelling to read. Also she

rapes Luke multiple times (he thinks she is Niamh) and that is treated as okay within the narrative.

I disliked her immensely and hated how Dawson seemingly wants the reader to root for her despite all the reprehensible things she does. 

I felt like I had a good grasp on how the magic works in book 1, but there were points where I was incredibly confused by it in this book.

I've completely lost interest in this series and will not be reading the third book when it comes out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Kidnapping, Cursing, and Sexual content

Minor: Transphobia

writeronherway's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Murder, Animal death, Torture, Sexism, Cursing, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

amy_reading_23's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

Wow this was an incredible sequel to the first book! I'd recommend anyone read these books, they're written really well and are really gripping. There were loads of unexpected twists and turns in this one but overall it was really enjoyable. 

I really enjoyed the themes of why people do the things they do and how you can come back from it. I love Ciara's storyline and ended up really liking her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, and Grief

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Racial slurs, Addiction, War, Abandonment, and Body horror

Minor: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship

jamieleepilk's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Sexism, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, and Death