Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

60 reviews

xiggy's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

I thought I was going to hate this book. It’s not a book I would typically pick up. I hate so many of the characters in this book and the mentality but that’s the point. The good characters continue to grow and be good and the bad ones well some grow up and learn something and some don’t. Most don’t. I wanted so badly for justice if there wasn’t any I would still hate this book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Alcohol, Death of parent, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Racism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

storieswithannej's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

Beartown started slow for me. I stopped at 30% after THE INCIDENT because it pained me as a woman, to see my kind hurting that much. I needed to breathe for weeks because of that.

When I get back to Beartown, my hands can never put it down. So I tried to stay up late to finish it and failing to do so and instead wrap it up the following morning.

I was wearing a poker face at first when I went in. Good thing I brought some other masks as my expression changed from happy to sad to anger to depressed then anger again, shouting “IDIOT!” with Backman, each one louder than the last. I figured I brought the wrong head gear, or costume, in this matter. I should’ve fit myself in a whole hockey set. Because while the silent battles happen inside the victims’ heads, I want to knock my stick to every adult I pass just to put some sense in their heads. “And you dare call yourselves ‘adults’?!,” I might shout at them. I wish I have my helmet on as I fight with and for Amat inside the cafeteria and outside with Bobo as these kids try to disarm a kid who will always be the strongest warrior in the room even without his armor on. Okay, just second best, because Maya is the first. I long to have my own pucks to write messages for Maya, just to let her know that I care. I CARE SO MUCH that I wish I was there to save her.

I just want to be their friend. Even though it’s a town that stays silent, no “thank yous” or “I’m sorrys” and instead passed as “would you like a drink?” through meaningful eye contacts, I want to do the opposite. I want to hug Ramona and the men in black leather jackets, and repeat what Tails said to her: You are the strongest man in Beartown I know. I want to shout at Maggan Lyt, at the police, at everyone who’s turning a blind eye on what happened. But I think this is how the system works, in most countries, and sadly, in our society today.

I kept musing that maybe there’s a hidden meaning in all this. There’s something to study underneath this. Backman will always have my heart, mind, and soul in chokehold. His books make “souls fly” as he’d phrased. I am always grateful for the way he writes about humanity – with hearts and souls, not just with useless minds. What I love most about his works is the message that it is not too late for us. That there’s still goodness left in this world – if only we know how to “keep the right company.”

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Bullying

beatle426's review

challenging dark emotional informative 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Classism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Death, and Alcoholism

maddeschapters's review

emotional hopeful 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Gaslighting, Rape, and Racism

starythril's review

challenging dark inspiring 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Rape and Bullying

kcarney86's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gaslighting, Rape, Misogyny, and Homophobia

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

sarah_amy's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

3.5 ⭐️ I was definitely drawn in, but it was a bit too sporty for me for me to fall in love with it as much as others have. It was conflicting - I loved the small-town community and felt affectionate towards a few of the characters. However, the mob mentality regarding the core event was hard to read. Can't decide if I will read the rest of the series yet...I'm curious to see how the lives of some of them continue on in the other 2 books, but not sure if that will be enough to keep reading about a sport I don't really follow or if they are as heavy as this book was (which I wasn't prepared for).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, Gaslighting, and Bullying

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Cursing

annakh16's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense

• 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

4.75

A masterpiece in character studies. A lot darker than I expected (please do note the trigger warnings) but handled with great empathy. 

Backman brings each character to life beautifully - and there are a lot of them -, showing the many depths of their motivations and creating an ever more complex web of relationships. The writing is straightforward but stunning - philosophical at times, when discussing concepts such as loyalty, love, friendship, family, community and more, but also full of vivid descriptions and images that really help bring the stories to life. The book makes clever use of flashbacks and flashforwards, which are revealing enough for the reader to make their own guesses about what will happen, but obscure enough to allow the story to unfold at its own pace. In fact, the book is full of small plot twists along the way, which are really aided by these small hints, that are often subverted at the last minute. 

The only thing I‘d say is that it‘s a little bit slow to get into, as it starts with a lot of character description before the plot gets moving. But (as Backman always manages), soon both characters and places are laced with depth, so that you can’t help but root for them (or despise them, alternatively). As the plot picks up, so does the pace and by the end of the book, tension is running thick. 

This is no doubt my favourite of Backman’s books so far. I loved this and would really recommend (even if you‘re not even slightly interested in hockey).

I especially appreciated Backman‘s almost sociological study of the dynamics and events surrounding Maya‘s rape. Backman explains, without justifying, the many factors which encouraged complicity and silence surrounding the event. His descriptions of the impact of the events on Maya‘s life and that of her family are devastating and moving. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Bullying, and Physical abuse

Minor: Gun violence, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Classism, Drug use, Child death, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

devowynn's review

dark emotional inspiring tense slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, and Gun violence

te_ss_i's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Rape, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Child death, Alcohol, Transphobia, Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Fatphobia, and Toxic relationship