Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Fifth Wound by Aurora Mattia

5 reviews

jakobvongunten's review

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma

woolstation's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

gorgeous femme acid mystery book, not mystery like mystery novel but mystery like mystery play. eye, mind and heart opening. reading this book feels like listening to joanna newsom. can't recommend highly enough. please do heed content warnings though 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

more information about content: part of the book's organizing structure is that it is about a series of physical as well as psychic wounds the autofictional narrator has received. these include being stabbed by a man on a train; two different suicide attempts and subsequent involuntary hospitalizations; and a sexual encounter that turns violent and ends with a hospital stay. the narrator also describes horrific but unfortunately realistic transmisogyny she experiences at the hands of medical workers.

bookbanshee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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

5.0

Beautiful and messy, an intoxicating fairy/femme cloud of melody, enchanting and infuriating, head-spinning and acutely insightful. I’m a little bit in love with every fairy who graces these pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

jayisreading's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

4.25

This book is a tough one to review. I enjoyed it, for the most part, but I haven't been in the greatest headspace for the last several weeks, and I feel that I didn't fully enjoy the beautiful intricacies and deeper meanings of The Fifth Wound.

The novel is a visceral and multisensorial reading experience. Mattia brings the reader into her very queer and trans world, which she does by transcending boundaries and conventions of fiction. The book is somehow grounded yet otherworldly in the way the protagonist (also named Aurora) goes through life. We go from prose/poetry to footnotes, or text messages, or photographs, among other media. There's a lot happening in this novel, in the maximalist sense, to the point that it can be a lot to digest. However, the too much-ness of this novel is what makes it so special, in the way it indulges and takes up space in the abstract and reality.

I'll have to revisit this novel when I'm in a better headspace, because I have no doubt I missed a fair number of details.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Blood

Moderate: Drug use, Self harm, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Suicide

katepilled's review

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

Exquisite!! Mattia is ethereal, Shakespearean, myth and modern. Vulnerable and raw. At times, I had no idea what she was saying; more often, I found the sentiment strike deep cords within my soul. I savored every page. The Fifth Wound has a lot to say about gender, sexuality, and love. I think there can be a new take away with each read. Mattia generously weaves footnotes throughout poetic prose, which will encourage the reader to slow down. I picture myself on a walk through a museum as I stop to take in all of the exhibit descriptions while I read this work.

TW self harm, sexual / assault, blood

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Medical content, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail