Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Magma

TW: self harm!

I really loved this book. It’s sad and poetic. At times Lilja’s story really resonated with me. Those feelings of trying so hard to make yourself into someone your partner wants. The gaslighting. The depression.

The writing really is exquisite. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

My only complaint is the ending felt too abrupt. I wanted a couple more sections to find out more about Lilja. Does she’s stay with her terrible not boyfriend??? Does she flee??? I need to know.

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travelseatsreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

At first glance it seems 20 year old Lilja has met the one! He's handsome, he’s intelligent & he reads, but it becomes apparent quite quickly that he is far from Mr. Right. She starts seeing him most days, moves in & slowly she becomes entrenched in a relationship full of abuse, manipulation & gaslighting & unfortunately she's unable to see the wood for the trees.

Thóra tells Lilja's story using short diary-like chapters which gives the reader an insight into the tortuous events Lilja experiences daily. I think this format worked beautifully for this piece as it really allowed us into the mind of Lilja & how she was experiencing & interpreting the situation. People often look in at abusive relationships & pontificate the age old line "Why doesn't she leave?". Thóra's brutal showing of Lilja's inner thought's answers that quite quickly. We see her mental health & any scrap of belief in herself be completely obliterated until the point where she believes it's all her fault & she sees no alternative, besides making herself 'better'. This evoked some strong emotions as I really just wanted Lilja to be able to see her own self worth & to be able to escape this torment.

This book does not apologise for being raw & brutal in its telling of Lilja's story. With unflinching honesty Hjörleifsdóttir shows the deep effects of gaslighting & domestic abuse. The format of the chapters along with Thóra's beautiful yet tense prose had me holding my breath at many points. I couldn’t bear to put it down & finished in one sitting.

Unfortunately, when some authors write victims of abuse they can portray them in an almost naive & weak manner but I loved that Hjörleifsdóttir portrays Lilja as a strong, beautiful & intelligent young woman who has succumbed to a torrent of abuse.

Thóra Hjörleifsdóttir has tackled the rampant pandemic issue of domestic abuse with a raw & brutal yet beautiful & considerate touch & shines a light on the fact that there are so many more Lilja's sitting out there in desperation, isolation & silence.

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ramblingoutloud's review

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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raniaa's review

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dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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kate_reads_books's review

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fast-paced

3.0

Oohf. If you haven't been in a an abusive relationship (emotional, mental or physical abuse) this book gives you an insight into what it is like. This book was triggering as fuck. I wish I had read more reviews / more about the plot before reading.
This is a short but very confronting story about a young woman desperately in love and eager to please her extremely abusive boyfriend who won't call himself or admit to being her boyfriend. Not only is he gaslighting her, emotionally abusing her and cheating on her, he also coerces her to complete sexual acts she isn't comfortable doing to 'win' his love and affection.
Reader beware. As a victim of sexual assult and an abusive relationship I wish I had gone into this book more aware of the story. If I had I absolutely wouldn't have read it.
Despite the depiction of abuse, it is a well written story and captivating for sure.

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