Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Bliss Montage by Ling Ma

9 reviews

blueyogi's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and Pregnancy

Moderate: Body shaming, Xenophobia, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual content, Racism, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Fatphobia

perkyanda's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I loved this! The lack of resolution for the series Is the only aspect I didn’t love. But I loved the three and connection began stories, and the weirdness and realistic feelings and just aching they came through. I can’t wait till she has another novel or collection out!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, Infidelity, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Misogyny, Body shaming, and Death

marissab's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Weird, but in a really good way!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

skyba3's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Such a great book! Wonderfully written and imaginative. I l sometimes didn’t even know I’d entered the fantasy until it was blatantly obvious. It was disturbing, sad, beautiful, and sometimes even creepy (I’m talking to you, office hours)? It was witty, imaginative, and sometimes very jarring. I just really loved this one. I will note that most stories end very ambiguously (which I loved), so I’m not sure many would enjoy not receiving a clear answer, but I loved how the end of each story allowed me to take a beat and think about the meaning of the story, the imagery and symbols, what the fantasy was and what it represented. It was a very beautiful book, and I think anyone can easily pick up this book. It’s amazing what Ling Ma does to build a story so quickly and so engaging. I often struggle getting into new novels but each short story was enticing from the start. 

Also - I wanted to note that this book would be very easy to listen to as an audiobook (try libby).

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racism, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Cancer and Car accident

siebensommer's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

favourites: oranges, returning, office hours 

She wanted a homecoming, whatever that meant. Maybe it was to be overwhelmed by déjà vu, a staggering tsunami wave.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Racism, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

samudyatha's review

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

chaoticnostalgia's review

challenging mysterious reflective medium-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

3.5

Los Angeles: 2.5
Oranges: 4
G: 2.5
Yeti Lovemaking: 3.5
Returning: 3.75
Office Hours: 4.25
Peking Duck: 4
Tomorrow: 3.25

Overall rating: 3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racism, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Alcohol

rachaelwho's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Dreamlike stories. Excellent and creative writer and thinker.

The audio was super weirdly edited, weird overlapped tracks that did not seem intentional at all, very surprising for a high profile author and well-known publisher. The actor was expressive and a very good fit for the performance. There's a fair amount of mispronunciations, if that bothers you.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

bookworme's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-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

4.0

Rounding up my overall review bc the stories I liked in this collection were of really good substance. A very matter-of-fact take on moments of surrealism that read as very much part of the ordinary.  Full of food for thought. 🍊🍊🍊🍊 favs : G, Yeti Lovemaking, Returning, Office Hours, Peking Duck

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Addiction, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Medical trauma