Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Louis & Louise by Julie Cohen

8 reviews

eliisar's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Gun violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Rape

carysn's review

emotional hopeful mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Rape

lexarobinson's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

An exciting read, which I tore through and was sad to finish it, but I can't help but feel as though several elements were a little lacking. Cohen foreshadows too blatantly too often, which makes the plot 'twists' easy to predict; certain plotlines were brought in without enough introduction; and I didn't think there was enough consideration of the difference in experiences that men and women have - obviously the plotline with Benny deviates dramatically, but Cohen could've done more to contend with sexism in Louise's life compared to Louis'. Cohen is, however, to be commended for the brilliant and moving execution of such an original plotline, the two lives are seamlessly, yet clearly, interwoven, and her representation of bisexuality isn't fetishised at all - real attraction to both genders is conveyed excellently. I would recommend, but also warn of the multiple content warnings of this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Rape, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Racial slurs and Homophobia

cheesepuppy's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

4.0

This book is conceptually quite interesting. We learn about a family in 2 different possible realities. One with a daughter and one with a son. Each was treated differently based on their sex.

The majority of the book shows their adult life in 2010 and in 1997. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

joneva's review

emotional hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Cancer

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Terminal illness

serendipitysbooks's review

reflective medium-paced

3.5

 The set-up of Louis & Louise interested me. A baby is born and in one scenario it is a boy, in the other a girl. The blurb promised a look at how this difference would affect the child’s life. Sadly, I don’t think it successfully explored the premise. The plot focussed on a traumatic event in the life of the teen and then again on a period in their thirties when their mother was dying of cancer. It was unclear how gender contributed to many of the ways Louis’s life differed from Louise’s. The main difference (SPOILER ALERT) was she was raped as a teen while he witnessed a suicide. Within the context of the story either event could have happened to either character. I also felt a couple of plot points were never adequately resolved. I appreciated seeing bisexuality featured, albeit in a minor way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Gun violence, and Rape

sophiatuffin's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Suicide

Minor: Alcoholism

stephaniellejem's review

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts