Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky

5 reviews

tsunami935's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

The characters and story are so well done. Dostoevsky yaps too much sometimes though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Murder, Mental illness, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Rape, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pedophilia

toffishay's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Incredibly well-written and engaging story. I was surprised that I enjoyed this one so much, because it isn't a Dostoevsky story that I am the most familiar with. I genuinely laughed out loud and teared up at different points in the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Classism, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Confinement, and Stalking

Minor: Infidelity, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Xenophobia, War, Sexism, Misogyny, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Murder, and Death

konstantina's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

There are a lot of things one could say about this novel: the psyche of the characters, their flaws, their opinions, their suffering, their sins. There is a lot that can be said about the author's self-inserting through the Prince. 

All I'll say is that I have never felt such sympathy for a main character as I have for Leon, and that is something that the book community knows to be rare.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

greenteadragon's review against another edition

challenging sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, and Murder

Minor: Antisemitism and Racism

laurikas's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this classic - it has everything you want from a well written, well constructed story, full of jumpy characters and equal doses of drama. Oh the drama, I absolutely love it! Oh the ending, could it be any more remarkable?!

I must confess it took me a while to get through because I've been so busy, and this book is not one to read late at night. It demands your attention, your reflections.

Now I read this in Portuguese, so here goes one of my favourite parts...

Houve uma altura em que me honrou com a sua confianca. Se calhar, ja se esqueceu de mim. Como aconteceu que eu esteja a escrever-lhe agora? Nao sei, mas tive o desejo imperioso de faze-la lembrar-se de mim, precisamente a si. Muitas vezes senti que precisava das tres, mas das tres so a si imaginava. Preciso muito, mas muito, de si. Nao tenho nada a escrever-lhe de mim, nada a contar-lhe. Nem o queria; desejo apenas que esteja muito feliz. Esta feliz? Era so isso que queria dizer-lhe.

Poderoso. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcoholism, Death, and Death of parent