Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

33 reviews

maiahhtratchh's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book kept me on the edge of the seat and was very mysterious giving nothing away even at the end. It has a great commentary on American culture including purity culture, religion, and girlhood all experienced through the voyeuristic lens of the male gaze, specifically teenage boys. How they viewed the Lisbon girls and their inability to truly see them or want to actively help them had my skin crawling which  is the point. The Lisbon girls exist on page only as two dimensional characters who, unbeknownst to the boys, are crying out for help. However these nuances play out do subtly on the page that only a true understanding of the Lisbon girls can be understood if you were, at  one point, a Lisbon girl. After reading I scoured the internet for essays, videos, and fanfics that were able to put my scrambled and shocked thoughts into a concise narrative but I have only found small pieces spread throughout it. If you were a big English Literature kid who loves to look for the deeper meanings this book is for you. A point was taken off for unnecessary racism and racial slurs which took me out of the story immensely. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Child death, Suicide attempt, Death, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Grief, Toxic relationship, and Confinement

Minor: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Emotional abuse

elenamolinariiiii's review against another edition

3.5

I watched the movie before reading the book and I have to say in retrospective it is extremely faithful to it. MANY things gave me the ick here, but many others were really good. some people will complain about the male gaze in this, as I did for the movie, but tbh isn't that kind of the point? I think we should also allow for men to explain their life experience without being judgmental straight away, because in the book I actually didn't feel like the narrator "mansplained" the Lisbon girls' behaviour, but that he was just trying to make sense of the pain it caused to him, which contributes to keeping the girls in an aura of mystery... idk, I'll be thinking about this for a while but anyways the prose was very good imo, and I think I liked this better than the movie

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Domestic abuse

mazzoccatoadele's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Grief, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Confinement, Ableism, Mental illness, and Misogyny

Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism

anima_vestaa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

Definitely a 5 star read. The style is original and beautiful, the story captivating. A real page-turner that will leave Zhou contemplating about so many important things. Eugenides is brutally talented and insightful. Will definitely read it again at some point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Suicide attempt

merle98's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This is a strike of genius that could have been ever so slightly more concise. But what a great critique of the male gaze and suburban society. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Classism, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Child death, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, and Forced institutionalization

ashleighlynn's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Child abuse, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement

lordofanywhere's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Drug use and Alcoholism

saarahrust's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Domestic abuse

sharanle0808's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, and Stalking

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexism

hanna_ix's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Death, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism