Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

230 reviews

ytmsoba's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria

doomluz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

A strong collection of short stories. My favorites were “The Husband Stitch”, “Eight Bites”, “Real Women Have Bodies” and “The Resident”. I love how the stories feel both ethereal and grounded.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

tinyjude's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.25

I guess not for me but I appreciate the creativeness 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Alcohol

tomesandtash's review against another edition

dark mysterious

2.0

Gosh, I really thought I would love this book but I’m starting to think that short story collections really aren’t for me. I found most of the stories confusing and hard to follow and just, generally, unengaging. And don’t get me started on the awfully confusing Law and Order retelling thing - it was so long and boring and I didn’t know what was happening half the time. I didn’t like the writing and I just didn’t enjoy the reading experience but I know that this book will be absolutely perfect for a lot of people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

sinisterbeard's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual violence

apolloann's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, and Dysphoria

inamerata's review against another edition

dark emotional sad

3.5

An evocative, visceral collection. I had to skip a couple, but even with the stories I struggled to really Get, I still enjoyed the writing itself. My favorites were The Husband Stitch and Especially Heinous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Homophobia and Pregnancy

madelonpaige's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Vomit

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Sexual content, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

Illness outbreak, epidemic ("Inventory"). Unreality ("Especially Heinous"). Insects ("Eight Bites," "The Resident"). Illness ("The Resident").

k_aro's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad

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

4.75

Basically a lot of it went over my head. Especially the story about Bad and the child, and the bits about the SVU. I've never watched SVU, so maybe that's kind of just a corner of something I'm totally unaware about. That said, the bits that I got, they really struck my bones; Machado is really talented at making you feel seen even when you might not be the exact person she's describing.

I think the one that rang most closely was "Eight Bodies", especially given that it came right after reading I'm Glad My Mom Died, a lot of which revolves around McCurdy's eating disorder (that has to do with her mom and how they are mirrors of each other). And also recently listening to Lucy Dacus' "My Mother and I". I've had a lot to think about with regards to me and my mom - especially since I've been away from her for a long time, now, when compared to the rest of my life. I also think about Rayne Fisher-Quann's Tiktok about being thankful for having mommy bloggers to see that moms truly do have lives that exist beyond their children, and how so often when you become a mother it seems to become the hinge of your life.

Especially since "Eight Bodies" is written from the painful perspective of a mother and a daughter who'll never really see eye to eye. It's painful, to simultaneously be the mirror of your mother but also to hate it. It's weird.

That aside, Machado is also a beautiful author, with the prose flowing as smooth as butter. Also, this book is so horny. And that's great. Maybe I'll read it again and appreciate it better the second time!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol