Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Il giardino delle magie by Alice Hoffman

50 reviews

kmayatte's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

mhari's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

3.0

Review

Genre: Fantasy fiction, paranormal fiction, speculative fiction. 
Age Range: 16+ 

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Setting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Relationships: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing Style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Enjoyment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Notes

This is one of those rare occasions where the movie is better than the book. I delved into Practical Magic expecting a fast paced paranormal novel with plenty of action and spookiness. But, to my dismay, I got instead a novel following the journey of two sisters with only a hint     of the paranormal. However, I did enjoy the book, although it is one of those books that you read once and only once. In the end, it turned out to be a novel symbolising the beauty and danger of falling in love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Grief, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Death, Bullying, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, and Death of parent

atlanticgiantpumpkin's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

As an autistic woman, I spent a lot of the book thinking “Is this actually how people think?” Because everything was very exaggerated.  I do feel like it went on a bit at times giving unnecessary details, but it was wonderful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Stalking, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual content, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Bullying, and Alcohol

At one point, one of the girls is chased down in a field by men trying to rape her.

electraa's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual assault

Minor: Eating disorder

martamae77's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Sexual content

thesalalmon's review against another edition

Oof. I was recommended this when looking for books that were lighthearted with strong female leading characters. It was a ruse. The story is not at all centred on the women it is about, but on their impact or influence on the men around them. It’s also rapey and I got too uncomfortable to continue. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Death of parent

genny's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted mysterious 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

3.75

This was so readable, I just flew through the pages...the writing style really worked for me, though I can easily see how it may annoy others. It almost reads like a stream of consciousness that jumps from one character to another. This is definitely more magical realism than fantasy. There's no deep lore about the women's magical abilities (though this may be explored in the other books in the series); they're not full-blown witches that just happen to live with mortals a la Sabrina the Teenage Witch. They make potions and curses and there's something magical in their bloodline that no one can run from, but it is primarily a family saga.

I can't help but be weirded out by the portrayal of romantic love throughout this book - it's always this extreme obsession. The love-at-first-sight descriptions are actually insane! Where this book really shines, IMO, is in its portrayal of grief and familial love. To be clear, I liked it! I haven't watched the movie, which everyone seems to love and apparently has a vastly different plot, so I wasn't let down by anything. I'm interested in reading the other books but I need a break first from Hoffman's writing - again, I found it beautiful, but in an exhausting way. 😅

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Death, and Bullying

Minor: Animal death and Death of parent

bexi's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Alcoholism

Minor: Child abuse and Drug use

engelkat's review against another edition

funny hopeful mysterious medium-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

3.5

Hoopla Audio 

Parts were slow, but overall I enjoyed this look at the Owens family women. Each of the women were strong snd independent. Though romantic relationships were featured they were not the main focus of the story. They were secondary. This allowed the women themselves and their relationships with each other to shine.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content

cjeter's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I love the way Hoffman writes: they way she flows from one perspective to the next, how she describes feelings and emotions, and how she presents all different kinds of love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicide

for the suicide warning it is briefly mentioned toward the end of the book on page 261.