Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner

10 reviews

cathy61r's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Child death, Pedophilia, and Ableism

jjsbookcase's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Medical trauma, and Sexual assault

mombond's review

challenging emotional sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

Beautifully written and completely heartbreaking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Rape

booknerdsinmn's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Child death, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Infertility, and War

Minor: Death of parent and Physical abuse

kerrygetsliterary's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Ableism, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, Infidelity, Grief, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Racism, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Car accident, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Torture, War, and Physical abuse

shawnna_reads2's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, War, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Infertility, and Infidelity

liahay's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Ableism, and Rape

bnelson13's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

This was a very hard but very wonderful book to read. I always enjoy stories where it jumps between timelines, telling a story of the main character in the past and then the main character in the future until they finally meet up in the present, and this one was very well done. A lot of heavy topics in this book, not only of a much older man r*ping a young girl in his care and the consequences of that, but also some of the atrocities of WWII and the Nazi treatment of people with diversabilities. It also deals with forced sterilization and eugenics, both during the war in Europe, but also taking place in the United States. 

Susan Meissner did a wonderful job telling the stories of Rosanne and Helen, and I found that this was a hard book to put down. My heart broke over and over for Rosanne and Helen, and the others of this story, but I'm so wonderfully happy that I was able to read it. It's a really powerful story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and War

maddiet425's review

emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-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

I’ve read three of Meissner’s books and I think this one might be my favorite! I’ve read a lot about eugenics but I still managed to learn so many new things. Despite being educational, the book rarely felt preachy or lecture-like. In fact, I can only think of two minor parts where this was the case. I loved the characters and found myself equally interested in both Helen and Rosie’s stories, something that’s always difficult in a multiple POV story. Overall, a great read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Grief

Moderate: War, Rape, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

oceanwriter's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-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? No

4.5

Beautifully written and spectacularly researched, Only the Beautiful is everything the summary promises and more.

Mainly following the timelines of 1938 America and 1947 Austria, the book follows Rosie and Helen and their interwoven stories. In 1938, Rosie is sent away because of her misunderstood condition and a surprise pregnancy to what she assumes to be a home for unwed mothers. Years later, Helen comes to learn the truth about what happened to Rosie and the baby.

There are a lot of heavy and perhaps controversial topics in this book that I won't mention due to spoilers. However, I urge people to look into them if they feel it's necessary. I enjoyed reading about these dark times in history even though it was difficult at parts. There was a lot of build-up in the beginning and because of this I felt more attached to Rosie's timeline. The second half picks up considerably, but overall, there's not a dull moment. Despite the dark themes, the book carries a hopeful message.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a free digital ARC of the book to read and review! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Murder, Pregnancy, Death, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

More specific CWs:

forced euthanasia and forced sterilization