Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

3 reviews

anxiousnachos's review against another edition

dark tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

4.5 stars.

Did I turn almost 30 and then start unintentionally reading several books that examine the horrific monstrosity of motherhood, my deep fear of having a child when you are clearly not suited to having one, and cementing my desire to not have children. 

This is incredible storytelling, despite the lack of plot. It is a character study of a mother through her eyes as she raises a son she hates (and loves) in unequal measure. Interspersed with short extracts from characters who witness the events unfold around this family, we see the story of a queer family revealed in new light. It is a visceral and humid study of the unreliable narrator, expertly told. Very dark and very horrific and had me on the edge of my seat in horror throughout. It has cemented Kristen Arnott as one of my favourite contemporary writers. 

Content warnings: emotional and financial abuse, toxic relationship, child abuse, cheating, animal cruelty, sexual assault, attempted kidnapping 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Sexual assault

laurenparham's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Murder, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

caseythereader's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

- This book was by no means an easy read - like Arnett's previous work, it was even downright difficult and uncomfortable at times. However, I truly appreciate that we've arrived at a place where not every queer character must be a perfect person, and we can explore messy and unlikable characters.
- I was there for the examination of queer adult/married life, and how the characters struggled with trying to match heterosexual norms while also losing their connections to other queer people.
- Every character in this book is just horrid and makes such terrible decisions, and yet you can't help but feel for them. It's quite a trick, and Arnett is the master of it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence