Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Chlorine by Jade Song

11 reviews

raptorq's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and Self harm

Moderate: Eating disorder, Racism, and Body shaming

seekerxr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

4.0

What an absolute ride.

It's not often I read books focused on sports; I've never played one or been interested in one, but the premise of this book and the actual plot of this book are somehow all about sports and simultaneously not about it at all. Going into this book I thought it would be more focused around the supernatural elements that were obviously referenced, but at its core, I think this book is about much more than that. Manipulation, belonging, mental health, abuse, so many things that wound together in such a compelling narrative that you really just couldn't look away. It was a haunting but incredible read.

You could see where this book was going to end from a mile away but the lead-up was still so enjoyable and tense; even though you knew what she was going to do, you were still waiting with baited breath.

That being said, do NOT ignore that body horror tag, because it is rife in this book, in multiple instances and in ways you don't always expect.

This one is gonna stick with me for a while.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Vomit and Pedophilia

aileron's review against another edition

dark tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, Dysphoria, Gore, Physical abuse, Body horror, Blood, Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Bullying, Eating disorder, Body shaming, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal death, Racism, and Vomit

bluedilly's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Gore

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual content, Addiction, Fatphobia, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcohol, Cannibalism, Death, Pedophilia, and Panic attacks/disorders

komaedacoffee's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abortion, Addiction, Rape, and Blood

Minor: Pregnancy and Vomit

fairygodfish's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual harassment, and Blood

Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy

another_dahlia's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Gore, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia

Minor: Fatphobia, Vomit, and Excrement

raybudbury's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Body horror, Blood, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Vomit

sxndaze's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

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

2.75

It’s a little haunting and heartbreaking. It’s unsettling to relate to some of the aspects, especially Ren’s experience as a queer Chinese person. The characters aren’t particularly likeable, but it works with the story and the circumstances they’re shrouded in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Body horror, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Blood

Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, and Drug use

gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-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

4.25

This book won't be for everyone, but as a former competitive swimmer (who still swims, albeit recreationally) it was everything to me. 

Chlorine is a story about a girl who's over-powering drive towards obsession rewards her with a freedom that comes with the highest stakes. Ren's dark journey through competitive high school swimming spoke heavily to my own experiences as a swimmer, from the back-breaking practices to the high intensity of swim meets to (almost) everything in-between. 

I particularly enjoyed how the author gradually stacks the dominos against Ren, building up layers upon layers of trauma laced with issues ranging from abandonment, sexual trauma, and emotional abuse, culminating in the final breaking of her psyche. The writing was highly compelling, spurring me onwards to determine what was in store for Ren. The only thing I found issue with was the ending; I felt like the conclusion of the story dragged on for longer that was necessary, especially after reaching the climax of Ren's transformation. 

Nonetheless, even though I don't normally gravitate towards the horror genre, I still enjoyed this book very much and I look forward to exploring more of Jade Song's works in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Vomit, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse