Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Spalona

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Spalona by Laura Bates

16 reviews

molarbear31's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? No

4.0

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xvicesx's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book poses some very interesting questions in a way that isn't preachy, which I supremely appreciate. I deeply dislike the books that are so enamored with the "message" they're trying to convey that they forget to actually tell a story.

I wasn't desperately fond of the vaguely supernatural aspect and the flashbacks (I was traumatised by The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue), but I do get the point it was trying to get at. It just felt that the author could have achieved the same effect with the research for the essay rather than the flashbacks.

But again, I found it to be a pretty good vehicle for an good bit of soul searching, and a nice story of true friendship.

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pepperpot66's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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? No

4.75

As an adult it did not necessarily challenge me; however that's not the reason why I read this book. As a teacher of teenagers, I always like to delve into young adult books so that I can make recommendations to my students. (Ironically, this one happened to be recommended to me by one of my students!)

It really encapsulates the mob mentality around teenagers and the lengths some will go to, to feel superior over others. There is a subtle nod to misogynistic attitudes towards young women and victim blaming culture, but it's not super overpowering in my opinion. I think this allows young girls to make up their own mind.

I love to the idea that the main character, through researching a historical figure accused of witchcraft, would learn about and resonate with victim blaming culture. I think I would have liked more focus on that side of the story as someone who's really interested in that part of history myself.

This would make an absolutely incredible movie or Netflix series of some kind! I think it's a really good book for young girls to read but also mothers of young girls to read and discuss with them about the realities of being a teenage girl in the modern day.

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lottie1803's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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jasecordova's review against another edition

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fast-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? No

4.25

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savreads28's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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skudiklier's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book delivered on its premise, and definitely kept me engaged! I was furious throughout most of it at the unfairness of everything, and I really wanted to know what had happened in the past that was kept secret through the first half of the book. Overall though a lot of this felt a little too YA for me. I liked it but I'm not sure I'd actively recommend it to anyone. It was pretty hard to read at some points but strikes a good balance of trying to be realistic and not sugarcoating things, while also leaving some hope and a (vague spoilers)

sort of happy ending.

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