Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

219 reviews

armyofunreadbooks's review against another edition

dnf at 60%

finally dnf‘ing a book i‘ve been bombastic side-eyeing for the past 2 years. i would have either taken that „i’ll finish it one of these days“ to the grave or tortured myself through the reading process. this is self-love and this is spring cleaning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

kshertz's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

Everything about this book is complicated. It’s a mix of short stories that are heavily sexual, and deal with a lot of different worlds and themes. It was hard for me to follow at times. I definitely liked some stories more than others. Overall I think it is like a niche group of people that would really enjoy this work and I just don’t think it was something that was for me.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Body horror, Chronic illness, Rape, Murder, Gaslighting, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death of parent, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

ehponies's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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 phenomenal selection of contemporary feminine gothic narratives that lovingly reincorporate the grotesque, the fantastic, and the practices of great women authors of the genre such as Shirley Jackson to reconstitute parables for the modern, abject subject.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, and Physical abuse

hexedmaiden's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

4.0

Honestly a solid collection of short horror stories. I enjoyed Carmen’s writing a lot and I’m excited to see whatever else she writes in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Body horror, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape

jess_18's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I definitely thought the first short story ‘husband stitch’ was the best, it was upsetting but written very well. Some of the stories went over my head a bit but I think they were all good and told an interesting narrative. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Pregnancy, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Emotional abuse

devin_raquel's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Sexual content, and Eating disorder

bashsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Her Body And Other Parties taps into the horror of being seen as a woman - and emphasizes it with a fine and careful touch of the surreal. Thought-provoking and cerebral, Machado doesn't hold back on displaying the female body in all its gory glory. It is unsettling and horrifying, but in a very real and relatable way - there are no jumpscares here, only uncomfortable truths. Like all short story collections, I liked some of the stories more than others (I enjoyed "Inventory" and "Especially Heinous" the most) though they are all worth a read, as every story in this collection churned in my mind for days after reading it. I can't wait to see what Machado writes next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Body horror, Alcohol, Animal death, Vomit, Death, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Violence, Eating disorder, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, and Sexual harassment

-Explicit description of a flu-like illness. -Explicit description of popping pimple-like welts.

danimacuk's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

jialianyang's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

A haunting book about queer women. They are from different backgrounds, telling their experiences in various ways. It is like stepping into another's mind over and over. This is a book where you must be ok with being sad, confused, desiring, hurting, haunted, lost. The women are not the side characters here, but they are also not always in control. Disorienting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Suicide, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Bullying, and Vomit

Moderate: Colonisation, Chronic illness, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Rape, and Toxic relationship

fell4's review against another edition

Too dark

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Misogyny

Minor: Rape