Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates

7 reviews

lea_elisa's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Abortion, and Sexual harassment

morgancar98's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

3.75

The writing in this book is fantastic and I do feel a good sum of it accurately shows what male-dominated Hollywood would have been like during Marilyn's stardom. One point that annoyed me though was the idea that Monroe had repeated abortions. It's always been reported that Monroe tragically had a number of miscarriages and always wanted a family. So, the whole abortion thing left a really bad taste in my mouth - it felt disrespectful, completely apathetic and quite frankly, disgusting. Also not sure why JFK was being painted as a rapist either? It is clear that Oates is a talented writer, but it felt like she was trying to paint Monroe with the same brush Hollywood did decades earlier... 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual content

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Sexism

bloodypuppe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

himpersonal's review against another edition

emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

2.0

The whole time I was reading this book, I kept wondering why I was reading it and why it was written and how or why it was nominated for a Pulitzer. Of course Marilyn Monroe is forever an icon, but if any of what was written here was true, then it was a very sad life she had. That’s all I can say about the book. It wasn’t fun to read or enriching to my life. It was much less than I expected of her, based on her other works.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and War

rtthalia's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Excrement, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

persnickery's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5

Absolutely devastating. I only know Marilyn Monroe as a sex icon, but this story shows how she was made, that Norma Jean was always there, being used and abused and shaped into Monroe be the endless, voracious male audience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

maplegrey's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, and Abandonment