Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

123 reviews

souplover2001's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

reading this after "dear senthuran" was v interesting think both books go very hand in hand. loved the pov switch and how ada's character developed throughout esp after coming out as non binary !

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Transphobia, Sexual content, and Child abuse

froggybooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

LOVED LOVED LOVED!!!!

the only issue i had with this book is simply how many times i got frustrated at there being no simple translation for the igbo and it ruined my immersion. but i love it and it wouldn’t be right without it 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, and Transphobia

sp1derfairy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Oh my gosh!!! This book was absolutely wonderful to read and I loved learning about Igbo culture and I cannot wait to do research of my own to learn more as well. Emezi’s writing is overwhelming and beautiful and it fills you up, takes you a minute to digest every imagery-rich word. It’s hard to process, you’re confronted with each of these sentences, faced with something bitter, like the Gods are and how they show you. I really loved it and how Emezi crafted this around their own experiences and I adored seeing the perspectives of the Gods as they all had so many unique thoughts and perspectives to offer. This book is about existing as who you are and being in touch with that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Minor: Homophobia

jkbrx's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Drug use, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Addiction, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

growplantsreadbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional fast-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

5.0

This is one of the best books I've ever read. I'm embarrassed, this author has been on my radar for so long and I just had to put their entire catalog on hold. What a fresh & forgiving depiction of mental illness and the sometimes hard path to self acceptance & spirituality. 
PLEASE read the content warnings to brace yourself for a difficult read.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, and Mental illness

Everything is handled gently and never felt exploitative. Still, take care of yourself.

page_28's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Beautifully written, has to be re read. An interesting exploration of the self. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

prismatical's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Grief, Drug use, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, and Child abuse

lycheejelly's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Alcohol, Car accident, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cursing, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny, Dysphoria, Vomit, Biphobia, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, and Homophobia

Minor: Outing, Transphobia, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Religious bigotry

aile_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

reread january 2024
read in english, paperback

I understand why 15 year old me was astonished by this. But I didn’t feel as strongly  this time. Maybe I’ve  come in terms with my gender, or more spiritually disconnected. Not sure. This time I didn’t cry once. While I cried all the time the first time I read it. Doesn’t take away the authors’ ingenuity and the books’ amazingness
And I still deeply love freshwater. I know this book has shaped me to the place I am now.

april 2022
read in swedish, ebook

If I could give this book 6 stars I would. Absolutely beautiful. I didn’t understand everything in this book but that do not change the fact that the book is the best ever made. I wonder though if it is a autobiography or not? And my favorite character was Saint Vincent. Going to have to reread it sometime. In english because I read it in swedish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

Moderate: Abandonment, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Transphobia, Addiction, and Violence

bookishplantmom's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-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

5.0

This book was « terrifyingly beautiful ». Amezi blew me out of the water. This book is compelling, reflective, gut wrenching, beautiful and thoughtful. It follows Ada after/during/through traumatic events and focuses on the interiority of dealing with such this. I don’t wish to say too much about the plot because much of the story deserves to be experienced without preconceived notions. It is just stunning. I would say if you have read Butter Honey Pig Bread by Ekwuyasi you may very well enjoy this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Transphobia

Moderate: Medical content