Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

83 reviews

merfdiff's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Rape, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Death

kennedybullen's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Death, Rape, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Child death, Cancer, and Terminal illness

joisaddler's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Miscarriage and Cancer

cometgrrl's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

ghudge42's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Emotional abuse, and Incest

nataliebootlah's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful tense slow-paced

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

3.5

I both liked and disliked this book. 

A young girl meets a young boy at their Cape Cod summer homes and a friendship blossoms that lasts a lifetime.  

It’s not until Elle is fifty that she admits to herself that she has loved Jonas for as long as she’s known him. And then they have sex — even though they both have been happily married for years on end. 

Alternating between past and present, the story of Elle’s life, that has been speckled with harrowing abuse and trauma, comes to life. She must now decide between Peter, her beloved husband, and Jonas, her first and oldest love. 

The Paper Palace is well-written, but contains many dark themes. There were a number of times that I had to put this one down to take a breather. Despite this, it was a good read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death, Incest, and Infidelity

Minor: Cancer

bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Friends, it feels SO GOOD to be back and reading. And what a title to kick off my post-term reading with.

THE PAPER PALACE is sneaky -- I see the Cape and I think immediately 'beach read,' but what Heller has crafted instead is a layered (heavier) story of time and regret and love and longing. I am not as interested in literature that claims a moral high ground as I am in narratives that allow the characters to just 'be,' and I think Heller captures so well the reason why: trauma complicates absolutes, what is 'right' and 'wrong' blurred in response to abuse. I just want to give Elle a hug.

Heller also beautifully depicts Cape Cod as a vessel for memory. She said in a recent interview that "every time [she comes] back, it feels like the opposite of homesickness," and goodness, I can relate. It's a testament to her writing that the setting -- this 'Paper Palace' -- feels like another character.

One I'm happy to own. If you grab it too, please note a significant content warning for rape and pedophilia.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent, Bullying, and Child death

Minor: Excrement, Animal death, and Cancer

kiwiknitter's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Bullying, Rape, and Sexual violence

trish1oo1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Surpassed my expectations. A look at complex and real characters. I loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Infidelity

Minor: Misogyny

emilyexley's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, and Child death

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicide