Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

9 reviews

thetruthatallhazards's review

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: War, Self harm, and Suicide

Minor: Sexual assault

twitchywitchy314's review

dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

Moderate: Sexual assault, War, and Violence

vexatiousbird's review

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.75

I expected gloomy gothic literature and this went all the way into horror territory, but I’m not mad about it. Very deep feminist themes. Good creepy moments. Mostly well-written, except I found the dialogue stilted and the plot was a little meandering. Interesting ancestral characters, but side characters were a little bland. Sometimes felt like it was trying too hard, but overall good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Child death, Gore, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Infidelity, and Sexual content

leila_reads_too_much's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Blood, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Child death, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Dementia, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Rape, Body horror, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

caidyn's review

adventurous dark emotional tense 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

4.5

Definitely found a new author I like! This was an intense book, but so good. I enjoyed how it was generational and involved reconnecting with the past.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault

morethanmylupus's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This is such a beautiful story of the impact of generational trauma and the work involved in breaking those cycles. I loved the history and culture imbued in this story and that the process of breaking those chains required embracing history and culture not denying it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, Slavery, and Sexual assault

katreadsmore's review

dark sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Self harm, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

enchantressreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

“Everyone deserves to write their own story.”

Alejandra is a 30-something, stay at home mom with three children. Her life seems normal, except for the bloodied creature wearing flesh and fish skin for a dress that watches her children sleep. 

I love books about trauma. I love books about mental health. I love *raw* and honest books about mental health. V. Castro is already one of my favorite authors, and The Haunting of Alejandra is no exception. I flew through this book quickly, devouring it in about two nights. 

This was a hard book. I don’t have children myself, and don’t want them, but it shook something in me that made me take a look at my past and my trauma and how the people around me treated me over it. Women (and other marginalized communities) are meant to take so much trauma without creating a fuss. They are meant to give up everything to cater to others. And this is the norm, not an extreme. This book forces you to look at the uglier side of womanhood and motherhood. Reading this on the heels of The Lies We Weave by Grace R. Reynolds definitely added a bit of emotion to the story. 

Tread with caution, and treat yourself kindly while reading this book. I loved Alejandra, and I hope you do too. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the chance to read this advanced review copy. 

CW for death, murder, body horror, suicide, suicidal thoughts/ideation, blood, gore, toxic relationship, sexism, abandonment, sexual assault, emotional abuse, child abuse, rape, mental illness/depression, infidelity, miscarriage, colonization, and racism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Colonisation, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Racism

aammbbss's review

dark sad

2.0

I felt like there was potential with this, but I just couldn’t get into it. 

I wish the explanation about how the creature picked up the name “La Llorona” was pushed earlier rather than later. There was repetitive descriptions that lacked creativity for me. There was characters that I felt like were very unnecessary and could’ve been condensed, and still delivered the same premise. 

This story is told in third person.  Alejandra’s chapters always seemed long and drawn out. I did like how it bounced to her ancestors stories, to get background of what was their experience and how they coped with their trauma. 

It was unique retelling of La Llorona through generational trauma. It just felt flat for me. 

If you plan on reading this, please review trigger warnings.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Death, Body horror, and Sexual assault