Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Chlorine by Jade Song

149 reviews

faeriefangss's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Self harm, Gore, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Blood, Drug use, Body horror, and Emotional abuse

angela_iseli's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Body horror, Toxic friendship, and Bullying

Moderate: Racism, Fatphobia, Drug use, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Eating disorder

stellahadz's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.5

This was a beautifully profound read. It's a dark take on the coming-of-age story, exploring the violent underside of competitive sports and the physical and emotional anguish of teenage girlhood. It was fascinating to watch Ren become so consumed by her sport that it (literally) transforms who she is. As someone who did competitive swimming briefly, Ren's mindset resonated with me, and it was bittersweet to dive (no pun intended) back into that world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Blood

Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Medical content

letterpress's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I think I am still trying to get my mind around what I just read. So I am giving it 4 stars, I think? 

At the start of this book you meet Ren Yu, a girl that born for the water. It starts with a love for mermaids and joining the swim team, it then slowly evolves into something else. This is a coming of age story that deals with tons of problems and pressures of being a teenage girl, both physically and mentally. 

This book doesn’t have tons of dialogue but that could be by design Ren is so obsessed and driven she doesn’t really need anyone else. Even though she does have a best friend in Cathy who she tolerates best among everyone. As you read it is very easy to get deeper up into her all in mentality and slow entry into reality of becoming a mermaid. 

Another really good novel by a debut author! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Body horror, Dysphoria, Bullying, Mental illness, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Gore, Body shaming, Drug use, Cursing, Self harm, and Sexual content

viv_pcu's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This was the most disturbing thing I’ve read in a while. Props.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

kalldaff's review against another edition

dark sad 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

4.5

Soooo disturbing, but it was literally recommended to me because of the disturbing ending scene :..) if I had a nickel for every anthropomorphic sapphic coming of age novel with body horror I've read I'd have three nickels... which isn't a lot etc etc

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Self harm

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault

Minor: Racism

sidekicksam's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Ren Yu is coming of age against the sharp chemicals of chlorine in the pool water. A tale of obsession, competitive sport, adolescence, racism, misogyny and friendship/love, this was a wild ride of an audiobook to listen to. Gory and a bit grotesque, I felt the book explored the harrowing conditions of the human experience and the need to escape it beautifully. Not necessarily horrific but more harrowing, this was exactly the kind of weird story I was hoping it would be! 

Lovers of books like The Pisces, Bunny and The Vegetarian will definitely love this one!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Self harm, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

kdepenhart's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This story is more than a story of a girl becoming a mermaid. It's a coming of age story that is relatable and very uncomfortable to read at times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Body shaming and Sexual assault

jcnfia's review

dark medium-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

4.5

OH MY GOD. Thank you for your time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Homophobia, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Mental illness

Minor: Bullying and Classism

archaicrobin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Chlorine is a hauntingly twisted coming of age tale about a girl obsessed with mermaids and professional swimming. Ren is such a compelling character and the sapphic romance is bittersweet and enthralling. I honestly could not put this book down even during some of the most gruesome scenes in the story. I loved the sports centric plot and loved reading about a strong, athletic, female character slowly losing her touch with reality.  The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because the ending fell flat for me, I can see why it ends the way it does and it fits the story but personally it was not to my liking. If you’re looking for a weird, slow burn horror with a strong female lead I highly recommend Chlorine. This book was so disturbing to me, I’ll be haunted by for it months…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Body horror