Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

66 reviews

jeeprn's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

The characters in this book really come to life in their descriptions. Backman does a phenomenal job of describing the characters and scenery in this book to a point where you feel like you’re not just reading but actually have a visual front row seat to the story. This book almost shadows the real life Brock Turner scenario.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

Moderate: Rape, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Violence

Minor: Child death

emi_momo's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Gaslighting, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Child death, Bullying, Sexism, Gun violence, and Cancer

Minor: Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Homophobia

bookswithisabel's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Bullying, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Rape, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, Child death, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcoholism

privatecaboose's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Alcoholism, Drug use, Classism, and Gaslighting

c_alexander's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Bullying, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Abandonment, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Grief

Moderate: Suicide, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Racism, and Self harm

theelliad's review against another edition

5.0

Never would I have expected to find a book so triggering and love it so dearly- this was so specific in its traumas it became somewhat healing and I fell in love with the parts of me I saw reflected in these characters. This story of a small town and it’s hockey obsessed people branches into accountability, power, social norms, grief, the exploitation of children in competitive sports, sex and assault politics, homophobia (internalised and external), secrecy, systematic and institutional failures and family dynamics without ever feeling too full. Backmans writing is so easy to love and I will be thinking about this book for a long time 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Addiction, Death, Homophobia, Drug use, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Child death, Suicide, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

tlaynejones's review against another edition

slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Classism, Bullying, Rape, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

brookey8888's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

This was good, but a very hard read. This is also insanely slow. I knew what this was about which I feel is low key a spoiler because the summary on the back doesn’t mention what happened. It was just so interesting to see how all the people reacted to this event and the motivation behind. This did make me so angry though. I honestly didn’t care about the hockey at 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Blood, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Classism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Death of parent, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Suicide, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

samarakroeger's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

didn’t love the repetitive writing style but I can’t help but admire Backman’s excellent character work.  There’s a lot of people to keep track of (I kept a running list), but it’s worth it. 

this took me a really long time to read. it’s heavy and in hindsight not the best candidate for annotation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Rape

acorny's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Took a really long time to get into this one, almost gave up on it several times. Definitely worth sticking with it though, the characters felt very real from all the backstory given. Check content warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Gaslighting, and Gun violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Bullying, Addiction, and Suicidal thoughts