Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson

6 reviews

jmmd's review

dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Stalking, and War

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, and Death of parent

anntharai's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad fast-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

Jfc this book is devastating. Like. If you have a button, this story pushes - and not just the big ones in big obvious ways. It's the little ways it reminds you of things, the one liners that you need to pause and think about, but for others will just pass them by. Which, is really apt considering one of the main mechanics of the story. 

It's fucking terrifying, sad, hopeful.  Ita about trauma and finding yourself, inevitability and searching for good. 


I picked this up because it caught my eye in the new arrivals but I'm gonna be thinking about this book for years. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Eating disorder

gondorgirl's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Gun violence, Self harm, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Eating disorder, Genocide, Hate crime, Infidelity, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

mysteriesbooks's review

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

I think this is one of those books I'm gonna spend years thinking about.
If you loved the magical, impossible wonder of The Night Circus, I think you're gonna love this even more. 

Its historical aspects touch so much on the after effects if war, and on choosing your family even when you aren't safe enough to display the love for them in public. And it touches on the very real struggle of keeping a culture and traditions alive when you don't have the community of that culture near you. There were so many elements that worked so well. 

I cried, I laughed, and I can't wait to reread 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and War

Moderate: Antisemitism and Stalking

kris386's review

emotional sad slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Stalking, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Animal death, Child death, and Eating disorder

loveinpanels's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

Sapphic MC who can travel through time and space. Set in 1926 between WWI and WWII, both play a big role.
1914-18 villain POV in counter to FMC POV.
Dark fantasy in which some people have a Spark (magic ability) and are persecuted for it.
Jewish FMC with faith that is not always practiced but is an underpinning of her childhood and worldview. WWII and Nazi Germany loom large.

Overall a dark, character-driven fantasy with strong themes of chosen family and surviving abuse. 

Villain has a power similar to Purple Man in Jessica Jones.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Antisemitism, Stalking, Murder, and War