Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

43 reviews

marie_is_reading's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Death, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Grief and Murder

Minor: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Alcohol

anastasiak's review

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Minor: Miscarriage, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Murder, and Cancer

sweetchocolatez's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Infidelity, Grief, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Incest, Fatphobia, Death, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Murder, Misogyny, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Cancer and Chronic illness

Minor: Abortion and Adult/minor relationship

judebox's review against another edition

Very hesitant at the start as already on the second page the protagonist describes herself as having big breasts. Feels like it was written by a man. Obsessed with hymens. Unpleasant main character that makes horrible decision, yet I‘m supposed to relate to her.

Also, in the end there was too much trauma for me. Too difficult to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual violence

sydneyreadssometimes_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Grief, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cancer, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death, and Sexual content

katewhite77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

A lyrical love story but not a conventional one.

A novel about family for all it's good and ill. The forks in the road life can force us to  take wheather we want it or not.  

This book centres around a complex of USA holiday homes made of 'paper' so in a sense this makes good holiday reading but a light hearted beach this is not. Only pack it if you fancy a bit of depth. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Grief, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Child death, Rape, and Pedophilia

jen_d's review against another edition

1.0

Absolutely the worst book I've ever encountered. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

skibbonboulash's review against another edition

slow-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

Let’s make the main characters childhood as traumatizing as possible then have a climax that is meaningless because you’re numb to trauma by then and then finish off with an underwhelming resolution and conclusion. You can tell the author writes for HBO (not a compliment)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Infertility, Death of parent, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Cancer, Bullying, Body shaming, Rape, Child abuse, Stalking, Sexual content, Murder, Classism, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, and Suicide

bethaniethebeast's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Miranda Cowley Heller is an excellent writer, but sometimes this book was "prose-y" to the point of reminding me that I'm reading a book. I don't like the characters but I understand them and relate to them. This book does an excellent job of exploring generational trauma, but I have to say HUGE trigger warning for child abuse and SA, that fully caught me off guard. Overall was an interesting read and I recommend it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Child death, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

rapidtra5h's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Misogyny, Infidelity, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Death, and Child death