Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris

4 reviews

lottie1803's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

• 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? No

5.0

Ranking based on interpretation of events as mostly fiction. This is a very hard book to rate and review, based on both the harrowing historical content and the personal feelings of those connected to the real individual. Still, a very compelling and powerful story that does highlight the under-appreciated experiences of sexual violence in genocide. I found the writing style and characters a significant improvement on the first book. Cecilia does suffer from a bit of Main Character Syndrome, but in the context of her world and trauma, it’s understandable. The stories are linked, but not completely necessary to read them together. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Child death, Confinement, Death, Deportation, Drug abuse, Slavery, Violence, War, Antisemitism, Body horror, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Grief, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Murder, Sexual harassment, Torture, Bullying, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence

crystalmartillo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? No

4.25

This is a great book that shows the strength it took for Cilka to endure Auschwitz, and imprisonment after being released from Auschwitz. It’s very emotional and hard to image what it must have been like to go through such traumatic life events. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Death, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Infertility, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, and Torture

tinytrashqueen's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Suicide attempt, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Grief, Gore, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Medical trauma, Blood, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Infertility, Hate crime, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Medical content, Body horror, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, and Rape

danni_chambers67's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

I loved the book. It was emotional and inspiring. It was a look on the effect of WW2 and the holocaust that I hadn't ever read or personally heard about.

It was certainly heart-breaking hearing what she had to go through. And I thought the writer did really well job of portraying everything and making you feel for not only the main character but also many of the side characters. I thought it was wonderfully written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Drug abuse