Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

323 reviews

abiofpellinor's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

These people are awful and yet I couldn't look away. A true book hangover after finishing. This is a damn masterpiece.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Classism, Mental illness, Homophobia, Incest, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Rape

darkty's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

I HATED AND DISPASED THAT BOOK SO MUCH.  Like just look in the content warnings...

TWIN INCEST WHAT IS THAT SHIT BRO YOU GUYS ARE CRAZY

 like bro! But I have to confess, I coud not put it down...sadly

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Addiction, Blood, Incest, and Misogyny

felofhe's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Classism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Death, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Incest, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Vomit

emilunax's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Minor: Incest, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Gun violence, and Physical abuse

book_slay's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Violence, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Classism, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Murder

maurice_greenware's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• 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: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Genocide, Incest, Murder, and Rape

cephalopodbot's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Homophobia

Moderate: Drug abuse, Antisemitism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Murder, and Addiction

dennyiii's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Car accident, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Addiction, Antisemitism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Violence, Classism, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, and Sexual content

elsie12's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

Regarded as a classic in the “dark academia” subculture, this book did not disappoint. The book centres around our protagonist, Richard, and his classmates all of whom study Classics at Hampden College in rural Vermont.

When a Dionysian ritual goes wrong (or perhaps too right?) Richard’s classmates are left with bloody hands. In a bid to bury their misdeeds, Henry, constructs a plan, which unbeknownst to Richard, he is set to play a key part in.

As with any classic “dark academia” read, the characters are painted different shades of morally grey. Richard admits to the reader at the beginning that his fatal flaw is longing for the picturesque. His idolisation of his classmates and deep rooted desire to be loved and accepted by them means he is willing to turn a blind eye as his classmates’ actions become increasingly morally reprehensible. The illusion eventually shatters and he begins to see his classmates for what they truly are, and while as the reader I grew to loathe the majority of them, Richard still remains, for the most part, devoted. Disliking the characters does not detract from this story, Tartt writes in a way where you are not expected to love them. In fact, I dare say at times she pushes you to see how much she can get you to dislike them. As a result, the book at points takes sadistic and perverted turns, as Tartt shows you just how detrimental Richard’s fatal flaw is and what he is prepared to overlook!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Classism, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Incest, Murder, Death, Drug use, Rape, and Suicide

briochebun's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

4 out of 5 ☆’s.

“Love doesn’t conquer everything. And whoever thinks it does is a fool.”

ੈ✩‧₊˚

The Secret History has been on my TBR for quite some time and I am so glad that I finally put some time aside to read it.

While I cannot say that my life was forever altered by this novel (though my feelings on that may change with time) I feel as though giving it anything less than 4 starts would be doing it an immense disservice. Readers of TSH will be able to see the impact that the novel has had on the Dark Academia genre and I think that in and of itself is an incredible feat that speaks to Tartt’s skill.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Incest, Murder, Violence, Grief, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Outing, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Vomit, Xenophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Alcohol, Drug use, Drug abuse, Islamophobia, Medical content, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent

Minor: Kidnapping