Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

6 reviews

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

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

corpseparty's review

dark emotional sad tense 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

3.0

Characters are all unrealistic. Unnaturally calm reactions to the kid’s antics lmao

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Torture, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

cursivewolf's review

challenging dark reflective 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

4.5

I liked the dual perspectives, seeing both sides of the situations. Seeing how Hanna rationalized her own behavior. Extremely well-written. Reviews compared it to We Need To Talk About Kevin, and I agree. But it’s good in its own way, it takes that concept in its own direction. The ending fell flat to me, and I do wish the last chapter had been cut. I feel like that would have made for a better ending. But overall I enjoyed it. 

I wanted to beat Alex Jensen with a mallet. Suzette Jensen I am so sorry you endured the shit you did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Blood, Emotional abuse, Violence, Cursing, Torture, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

chronicallyplotting's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

This book had me on the edge with every single chapter. Every character had so many sides to them. I am still left with questions, in a good way. I can't tell you who is the true villain in this story, I question both Suzette and Hanna. When I say I had trouble putting this book down, I truly did not want to. stop reading because I had to know what was going to happen. And of course as all good psych thrillers/ suspense books do, you still will not have it all figured out. Super glad I was able to read this book. And it was cool that the setting wasn't too far from home. 

I also want to add that the author has a chronic illness or knows someone close who does because some of the thoughts and feelings Suzette described were spot on for all warriors, not just those with the same condition as Suzette.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Minor: Bullying, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Stalking, Torture, and Vomit

thesincoucher's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

BABY TEETH has been on my radar for a long time. The premise is so good: daughter hates mommy and will do anything to destroy her, mommy knows this but is anyone going to believe her? I expected Stage to go a bit crazier with it but I was so pleased about how grounded everything was. 

Hanna is seven years old and an evil child but she only does things that a seven year old would do. She is not an evil genius - all her plans are things that a seven year old would be capable to do. To me, that makes it even more unsettling than if she climbed up the roof and vomited all over Suzette. She is a precocious child with an ability to concentrate that I envy, and she loves her dad and hates her mom. 

Suzette was also incredibly grounded. In any other book, she would have taken Hanna to an exorcist and called it a day but she never gets herself carried away even though Hanna tries really hard. She has no illusions about her daughter and no doubts about her abilities. On this, they feel in a very equal ground on how they are able to perceive each other so well. What I really really loved is that Suzette, even though she wishes Hanna was not evil and (because Hanna is trying to make her go away) they could go back with her husband to a time when they were not parents, she truly does love her daughter. There are these little moments when Hanna gets hurt that Suzette first reaction is to worry and protect her child, and that was heart-warming. I also really loved that Hanna wasn't adopted; I'm tired of the orphan being evil. 

Alex, the dad, has the devotion of both, Hanna and Suzette, and he loves them both deeply. He was the biggest surprise, I think, because he was supportive of Suzette while doubting that the apple of his eye was capable of such things, which is a fine line to walk. His reactions when confronted by teachers about Hanna's behaviour were believable to anyone who has had to talk to parents in a tutor capacity. It was lovely to see Suzette and him being so in love and friendly towards each other.

I think this was a book difficult to pull off but Stage manages with ease and I'm going to read anything she writes next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Torture, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, and Blood