Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

3 reviews

bookmark3brodi's review

challenging mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Self harm, Cannibalism, Child death, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Body shaming, Bullying, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexism

campisforever's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

A dark retelling of "The Juniper Tree," Juniper & Thorn is slow-paced with the repetition we normally associate with oral storytelling. The narrative is beautifully written and well constructed. While I found it difficult to stomach and definitely needed breaks throughout, I recognize that the discomfort was part of the point. I also often felt like I couldn't find a foothold, but realized about 3/4 of the way through that it was intentional--until Marlinchen begins to piece things together, it's a bit difficult to locate the narrative's bearings. 

This novel is a really raw and honest portrayal of various kinds of trauma, mental health struggles, and coping mechanisms. Many of the content warnings I've included are the exact warnings Ava Reid provides for the novel on her website. Please be mindful of those tags. That said, I was honestly a little scared to read this book because it seemed like a lot, and it was, but not in a way that glorifies the horrors of humanity and abuse. If you're open to a story that takes you through the darkest parts of our folklore--here, Germanic and Slavic lore--and gives you a glimmer of hope on the other end, it's worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Blood, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Vomit, Body horror, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, and Self harm

Moderate: Cannibalism, Antisemitism, Incest, Classism, and Violence

slvt4b00ks's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This story follows Marlinchen, one of three daughters of the greatest wizard in Obylan, as she forges her own path despite living under an abusive father and alongside wicked sisters. Marlinchen soon finds herself driven to disobey her fathers orders to not leave the house after one night at the ballet in Obylan where she meets the heartbreakingly beautiful and tortured Sevastyian. As Marlinchen is sneaking out and living her best life, there is a monster stalking the streets of Obylan stealing the hearts and livers of men. 

This has been my all time favorite book I have read. Period. Reid is a master of weirdly beautiful and unique metaphors and other literary devices. I had no idea people could write and create such beautiful captivating atmospheres that are equally as horrifying and dark.

I couldn’t name all of the trigger warnings that this needs to be filed under. There were parts of this that were very difficult to read. Expect rape, abuse, alcoholism, cannibalism, self mutilation, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, so on and so forth.

That being said I think the author touched on every single one of those sensitive subjects with brutal honesty and also something like grace. 

For a majority of the book I found the story very character driven. Toward the end it picked up but it was so worth it. Highly recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Death, Torture, Violence, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Vomit