Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

26 reviews

sadig27's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective sad tense medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Infertility, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Grief, Medical content, Alcohol, Medical trauma, and Child death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Vomit, and Panic attacks/disorders

shoohoob's review

fast-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Stalking, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Child abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Homophobia, and Mental illness

jamie003's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism and Gaslighting

jahncie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Domestic abuse

jes312's review against another edition

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Blood, and Sexual content

Moderate: Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Cursing

Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Vomit

undeniableemg's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad medium-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

4.75

a bracing, acerbic portrait of someone trying to be a decent mother and a decent lesbian and spectacularly failing at both

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Rape, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Mental illness, and Pedophilia

ladyheather10's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Alcoholism

jamiereadsbooks's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

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 

---

Content Warnings

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

belovedb33's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

This (audio)book had me gasping multiple times. When I didn’t think it would go there, it did. I really enjoyed the complexity of the characters and seeing how time impacted the family dynamics. 

When I finished the book, I still had plenty of questions. 

When did Sammie move out? What happened with Monika and Megan? These aspects that seemed to be so important to the plot were just forgotten at the end.

 

I wish that I could have gotten Samson’s or Monika’s perspective at the end— I think that would have allowed for a conclusion to many of the plot strands that were just left hanging. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Grief, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Animal cruelty and Kidnapping