Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

These Impossible Things by Salma El-Wardany

26 reviews

katrinarose's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This was such a nuanced heartfelt book about friendship, family, religion, and finding yourself. I think this book has excellent representation for Muslim women diaspora and would hit extra hard for these readers. I really liked all the characters, they were all unique and well developed. However for a book sold on female friendship, it was disappointing that the majority of the book they were not friends. I understand that drove home the point of the book in the end and it was really impactful, but I missed the friendship. Also, this book was so sad; I almost cried several times. Overall would recommend if you like sad books with these themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Abortion, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Eating disorder, Grief, Alcohol, Medical content, Misogyny, War, and Violence

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Vomit, and Classism

blubbflubbl's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Abortion

ad_tortuga's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

20sidedbi's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely brilliantly beautiful. A powerful reflection on friendship, love, and faith - all explored with a depth and consideration I'm not used to in books. Definitely check the content warnings before reading, but know that it's all handled really well and none of it is gratuitous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Rape, Abortion, and Misogyny

samanfa's review

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Abandonment, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

sumi_the_polyglot's review

emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

A coming of age tale of love religion and marriage 
Truly beautiful and heartbreaking

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Abortion, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse

jennifershepherd's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

The book o have enjoyed the most in a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Rape, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Religious bigotry, Abortion, Gaslighting, and Pregnancy

emilily's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Graphic: Violence, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Colonisation, and Rape

cassidy's review

challenging emotional sad fast-paced

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

I really tore through this book. I guess a couple of thoughts— 
Someone else in their review said that they wished there was more nuance in the depiction of the Muslim men and I agree.
There were parts of this that made me cry, particularly the scenes with Kees’s dad.

  I do think the big come together in the end and how everything is resolved in 2 days felt a little unrealistic. Particularly the idea that Jenna just became fine once her friends were there and how it wasn’t until the wedding that her mom actually said anything

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse

serenas_reads's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy