Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

7 reviews

hazle_363's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This book was compelling but I was anxious the whole time I read it

I didn’t like the open ending, I wanted to have Janna’s brain explored a bit more and a resolve to whether her and her mom would reconcile

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Cursing, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Self harm, Blood, Violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Grief, Gore, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Body horror

kaelizaco's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

schnanko's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I have read books that have made me uncomfortable, grossed out, fascinated...this book was genuinely terrifying. I was on the edge of my seat to an extent I haven't been in forever. It was amazingly written and the plot was absolutely incredible. I just finished it and I want to read it again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Blood, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Bullying, Cursing, Excrement, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

whimsicalish's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.25

I picked this up because the premise sounded interestingly dark. A book about a possible demon child? Sign me up.

Sadly, it was not that. I wouldn't consider it horror or mystery since everything is clear. You read from the mother's and Hanna's perspective. Nothing is in secret. You know Hanna's intention right away. It takes away the horror because you're not guessing what's coming next. Hanna tells you herself.

I was most engaged in the first third or quarter. You're learning about the stakes and what Hanna wants. But her perceptive really takes away any surprise. It was nice to get backstory of the mom, Suzette. You learn why it's significant for her to be a good mother. But there are paragraphs, sometimes pages, about Swedish traditions (why?) or her odd dreams. You don't need odd dreams in the story when you have an odd reality of your kid trying to snuff you out! The father is the most useless character. His ONLY purpose is for the conflict. 

The mother and daughter fight over his love. The only reason Hanna is able to act out constantly is solely because the father never believes his wife. He really takes the word of his gremlin 7 year old over many adults. Including his wife, who he repeatedly interrupts and ignores. "I never see this bad behavior so that must mean it never happens!" Sir, you are a fully grown man. Act like one.

 

Hanna's intelligence is brought up many times. I don't doubt she's smart. 

But you expect me to believe this child that NEVER spoke in her 7 years has a perfect French accent. The mom constantly brought up how perfect her French accent sounded. HOW? Hanna never speaks! Does she practice somewhere alone on her witchy French accent?

 

I wanted more from the climax and lukewarm ending. The book does raise the question: 

Is Hanna acting out because she was abused? Her core memory at 3-years-old was frightening after her mother nearly choked her. That started Hanna to "test" her mother. She wanted to know if her mother really loved her or only acted as a doting mom. But the book doesn't encourage this line of thought after portraying Hanna as despicable and vindictive.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Chronic illness, and Mental illness

Minor: Domestic abuse

frankieray's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I almost couldn’t get into this book because it triggers me so much. I still don’t know if I should have read it, it stressed me out a lot, but I also think it was well written and the story was intriguing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Violence, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, and Toxic relationship

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

What a creepy book. It reminded me of The Push in some ways. Psychopathic children terrify the ever loving shit out of me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

izypup's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Blood, Violence, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Pregnancy, and Self harm