Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

9 reviews

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

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Content Warnings

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

knkoch's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Yikes! I found this extremely sinister and disturbing. It was quite different from other contemporary family dramas I’ve read. It’s also the first audiobook I’ve listened to in ages; the narration was great, but perhaps hearing a woman say out loud the dialogue and inner monologue of the main character made this especially chilling.

I suppose this felt like a very accurate portrayal of difficult people, and of selfish, irresponsible personalities. I can’t say I truly enjoyed the reckless ride, although it was certainly a gripping story. I wavered between empathy and distaste for the characters, similar to my discomfort with White Ivy. I’m curious to see if I can find any interviews where Kristen Arnett talks about her goals for this book. If you’re into very dark, twisted literary fiction, this one’s for you!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, and Mental illness

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

Not trying to tick all the boxes, but this touches on quite a few difficult subjects.

meghan4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

nearbethexperience's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

I disliked almost every character in this book but I also couldn't put it down?? It was like a very well-written train wreck.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Blood

Minor: Religious bigotry 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

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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

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

alylentz's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-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

3.5

I think Kristen Arnett is a very talented writer, but her books frustrate me because they focus on characters in self-destructive situations and it feels like we make no progress with them until all at once, in the last 50 pages or less, things suddenly change. The ending of this book is strong and interesting, and I think overall this book grabbed me more than her last (there were points where I couldn't put it down, despite my conflicted feelings). I also feel like I'm in the minority in that I really loved the little slices of outsider POV. I know I'll continue to think about these characters, but reading her books are a bracing and intense experience, and I'm not sure they're right for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content

Moderate: Infidelity

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

samikoonjones's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Grief

Moderate: Miscarriage

Minor: Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship