Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

150 reviews

shansreadsbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

schwartzdns's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Body shaming, Incest, Alcoholism, Racism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Pedophilia, and Rape

thomasina's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Animal death, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

silver_lining_in_a_book's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.75

 

Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe. There is no gift for the beloved. The lover alone possesses his gift of love. The loved one is shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover’s inward eye.

I think the quote above speaks for itself. There is no wonder that Toni Morrison is so beloved amongst both book readers and those who do not tend to read quite as often. This book is so moving, striking and shocking. Being Morrison's debut novel, I get the sense that she has not yet come into herself as a writer, but the writing is gorgeous nonetheless and accomplishes exactly what the author sets off to achieve from the start (according to the author's note). For the time in which it is written, this book and its narrative are exceptionally innovative, the language is exciting and memorable, and the characters are multidimensional and complex.

Overall, I am disappointed that I did not read this sooner. Morrison is an absolute treasure! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual content, Racism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Addiction, Mental illness, Classism, Religious bigotry, Drug use, Child abuse, Bullying, Misogyny, Incest, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, and Hate crime

ajay913's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Racism, and Incest

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Incest, Excrement, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Pregnancy, Violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Death, Racism, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

s_e_'s review against another edition

challenging dark sad

4.75

this is a harrowing and detailed account of a young girl's ruin from racism and abuse, banned in america for being important and insightful. i'd recommend it to anyone who is ok with the content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Sexual content

i would not read it on public transport if a child was sat behind me.

minaegg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Racism, Child abuse, Incest, and Physical abuse

mmccombs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Toni Morrison’s pen is just unmatched! Every sentence feels careful, measured, a thin blade exacted in just the right way to perfectly achieve what the moment needs. The character work in this book is where it most shines. Even though Pecola is the main character in this story, she more so acts as connective tissue through which we probe the people around her, the ways in which their stories hinder their ability to fully see or love Pecola in the ways she needs it. I loved how Morrison dissects how white supremacy fuels shame and feelings of inadequacy, which in turn breeds hate, violence, and disconnectedness. I think this is a book I’ll need to read again to get at the many layers of it, just truly a work of art.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Rape, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Racism, Misogyny, and Animal death

bdelima's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Rape, Physical abuse, and Incest