Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon

154 reviews

katmystery's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

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

2.0

This book barely passes the Bechdel test. For something literally narrated by a woman, that is pretty bad.

For the first 40%, this was an engaging historical fic, albeit a bit slow, about a witty former WWII army nurse who finds herself brought back in time to 1740s Scotland. Then, when the romance plot started, suddenly it was all about her 18th century love interest, a character who Gabaldon endlessly romanticized despite his highly abusive and controlling behavior. When I wasn’t horrified by Jamie, I was bored by hundreds upon hundreds of pages of conversations and events that added nothing to the plot or character development, and I quickly grew to be so irritated by the narrator that I just wanted it to end. In addition to all of this, all the women who are sexually assaulted in this book (and there are a lot) are blamed for the assault, and the so-called “feminist” narrator does this, too. She’s barely more progressive than people from the 1700s; for half the book, she doesn’t care about anything but the abusive love interest. Also, the two gay characters are a rapist and a pedophile. This book was written in the '90s. That's so homophobic.

I only finished this because of the sunk cost fallacy. 2 stars for the historical aspects, which were well done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Pedophilia

au_conn1's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Animal death, Confinement, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Sexual assault, Body horror, Murder, Torture, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Cursing, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Child abuse and Suicidal thoughts

biliboc_diana_simona's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Misogyny, Murder, Domestic abuse, Rape, War, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Blood

Moderate: Death, Child death, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Physical abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Infertility, Grief, and Child abuse

addisonpatrice's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-paced

3.75

What an adventure! This one took me nearly a month to finish because of the 1700s setting and the density of the writing, but I'm glad I did so. Jamie and Claire are just dreamy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Confinement, Child death, Rape, Gun violence, Grief, Death, Torture, Blood, Animal death, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Murder, Medical trauma, Infertility, and Alcohol

outofthepinksky's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Murder, Misogyny, Sexual content, Torture, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Vomit, Animal death, Death, Ableism, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Grief, Confinement, Infertility, and Homophobia

Minor: Child death, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Gun violence, Death of parent, Fatphobia, and Hate crime

deutschemausi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

Spoilers for sure!

This book is excellently written but damn it’s so long 😂

I was a tad bit bored at first but I’d say about a quarter of the way through I was all ears. It does get a bit repetitive every once in awhile but that reqlly isn’t a biggie. 

My biggest issue was the god damn treatment of women.  I know that’s how it was back Then but it’s still incredibly difficult to read. 

I really liked Jaime at first I was so hoping he would be that one guy that was a decent human being and I know it’s an unpopular opinion but he’s a piece of shit. Sorry he really is,

there’s things he does that he says he’s obligated to do or wants to have sex with her where he does not care about her decision, regardless if she ends up enjoying herself or forgiving him does not MAKE THIS OK. gah.  

Also beating Claire so bad that she herself says within an inch of her life just because she disobeys him (which almost led to her own brutal rape yet again so I’m sure she learned her lesson either way)?! And then forgives him the next day??? What is that?! No matter what time point this is, Claire herself is from a future where this isn’t ok and although in her time point violence against women is still a little more prominent then it is today she still knows it’s not acceptable behavior. So why is she forgiving him the day after? 

I do not believe all the defenses of oh it was “spanking”. Spanking and beating someone so bad they can’t do anything more then lay down for several days are two very different things. 

It says and I quote “Gentle he would be, denied he would not.” 

That’s rape. And it maybe wouldn’t bother me as much if 

a. This kinda shit didn’t happen all the damn time in the past and still happens today  

b. This book and show is so god damned popular and Jaime is seen as an amazing partner and husband and person! 

He’s not and he’s scum and I hate that he’s defended. I will not do it. 

And the absolute normalization of molestation and rape is appalling for both men and women.

Given that this book is a representation of the past I can live with that. I think my biggest issue here is that people in today’s world defend him. That’s where my true issue lies.

And I’m sorry he was raped too but just because a rapist is raped doesn’t forgive the rapes they’ve done themselves.

I just don’t get. 

Now saying all that and obviously I didn’t enjoy those parts of the book but it is amazingly written which is why I gave it a higher rating. This writing is impeccable and I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that I can dislike and enjoy at the same time. Gabaldon is a true storyteller and an amazing writer. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Physical abuse, and War

d_wass17's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

I spoiled myself watching the first few seasons of the tv adaption first but enjoyed the book! Took me AWHILE to get through as a buffer book/put it down for a few months but glad I picked it back up. Very similar to the show, a bit less saucy though :/ Definitely great for those who enjoy historical fiction (1740s UK) and a good intro for newcomer fantasy people! And now mentally planning a trip to Scotland!

Planning to read the second book in the series to follow Claire and Jamie in France, stay tuned!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Violence, Rape, and Murder

nscheuermann's review against another edition

adventurous emotional

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, and Violence

taylor_perry's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Medical content, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Infidelity

marysea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Blood, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Sexual content