Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

78 reviews

oneseventhree's review against another edition

Not a fan of the writing style, which felt very “tell, don’t show”. Also not the biggest fan that every time this Moroccan character appeared the narrator would gush over how “exotic” he was. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse

kwthor's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Alcoholism, Death, Suicide, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization

rachtmh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book…. This book, honestly trying to review it without spoilers is soo hard! 
I genuinely loved everything about this book. It is clever, wondrous, tragic, hopeful, passionate & just so many things. 
I was on a constant ride of highs and lows, cried, laughed, blushed, gasped and celebrated. 
The multiple POV and time line are done wonderfully and easy to follow. 
The characters are wonderful and full and go through so much, good and bad.
The Lost Bookshop is a must for all lovers of reading and magic, with some wonder literary history featured. 

This book is an instant re-read for me and 100% recommend as many people as possible experience the journey that Evie Woods has so wonderfully put on paper. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Kidnapping

believed child death and forced child loss features for a small part in the book and may be upsetting to some readers

tiamia1084's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Pregnancy, Death, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Emotional abuse and Death of parent

lochnessvhs's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

Oh dear...perhaps this would be easiest in bullet form:

• I adored Opaline's story. It was the standout. Had the entire book been Opaline's story and thoroughly fleshed out, this may have been a 4-star read.
• Henry was the dullest, flattest, most useless character.
• Henry and Martha did not seem to have any chemistry whatsoever. It was only in the moments where one of them are thinking "oh s/he's perfect!" that anything came across, and it felt like we were being reminded they were supposed to be together. 
• The magical realism of the story was shoe-horned in and so lightly defined that it seemed to be pointless.
• There are 3 books in this book. One is possibly great (Opaline), one is okay (Martha and her husband and how she grows as a person) and one terrible (Henry and Martha and the magic bookshop).
• Plot holes make my head hurt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Stalking, and War

magneticornot's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

Clearly lovingly researched, with the historically linked sections far and away the most compelling and well written. 
I liked the bones of the story, but the character interactions seem rushed. Like they are jumping straight to important moments to hit certain beats in order to move the story along, but without many of the emotions really feeling justified or coming through for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Forced institutionalization

cskinner's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

This book was just hard to love. It seemed to start out promising; the characters felt like they were close to being something interesting and the story had intrigue, but after about 25% in, some veil of artificiality never really lifted for me on the characters and dialogue. I enjoyed the parts about the past much more than the ones about the present. I think I was expecting more focus on some of the mystical elements of this book and it fell short for me. It also had long stretches of dark and depressing events, which I can be ok with, but here, I wasn’t, because they led to little payoff in character development or advancing the plot. Overall, I liked the concept, the dual timeline, and some of the themes, but it wasn’t very enjoyable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Misogyny

girrllie's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

2.5

It started off with a good premise but then got soooo boring. I barely finished it and skimmed most of the last third.  The character’s  choices didn’t hold together for me. I was expecting a fun story with a little magical element and instead got secondary trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Stalking, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

The interpersonal violence was super high and traumatic.

kirstym25's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Pregnancy

Minor: War and Suicide

jessversteeg's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

Unique plot, very creative! I enjoyed the rare books aspect and the investigation of the old stories 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Child death

Minor: Suicide

major themes of domestic abuse and forced institutionalization.