Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash

23 reviews

rewatchrereadrewind's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

The book gripped at the beginning. To say that there’s a lot going on in the book would be an understatement. But as the story progressed, I felt a sense of emotional whiplash with every new development, detail, and traumatic event to the point that I I found myself exhausted and drudging through the book about halfway through. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Murder, Outing, and Dysphoria

amaranth_wytch's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Deadnaming, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

brinnavirginia's review against another edition

emotional 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

olivias_bookrecs's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Murder

savshelfinger's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

great novel to disappear into but NOT a light read 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Transphobia, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Homophobia, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Drug abuse

honestlyyours77's review against another edition

3.75

Hmm… I actually have say wondering what my opinion of this book was… I think on really enjoyed it lol it’s one of those rare time I actually rounded up as I would put it at a 3.75. 

One issue I had was the transitions are clunky. There was one spot where it looks like a chapter is missing as the jump just doesn’t read well. However, it gets back on track easily.

It’s definitely a ride of twists and turns, a bit unrealistic and repetitive. But I like that it’s not a story that just ties everything up in a nice little package with a cheery bow.

The language is a bit jarring so you have to keep the time period in your mind as it’s just being authentic to the time period. However, I expect it may be triggering to some folks and probably should come with trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Outing

nikenacs's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Transphobia, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Vomit, and Alcohol

whatsemilyreadin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Gore, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

nickel_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This novel is not for the faint of heart. Thrash's adult debut chronicles the life of a New Hampshire teen whose whole family is caught up in the Satanic Panic, experiencing tragedy and trauma for the 20 years that follow the fateful night of her parents' arrest. Rainbow Black is a challenging read that produces a wide range of emotions - anger, frustration, horror, dismay, compassion, and a smidgen of hope. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Outing

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.25

Thanks to Harper Perennial for the free copy of this book.

 - Whew, RAINBOW BLACK is a ride. I was fully gripped from page one and couldn’t read it fast enough.
- It’s extremely dark and gruesome, but also filled with black humor and little bread crumbs dropped to keep you wanting to read one more chapter.
- Every character in this book is a complicated person. You can fully understand why they are acting the way they are, and yet they are doing horrible, villainous things. It’s really a feat. (It’s also extremely queer.)
- I do want to note that a big chunk of this book is set among teenagers in 1990, and the language reflects that. It’s a bit shocking to read homophobic and ableist slurs tossed around so casually now, but it is true to what I remember of the time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Fatphobia, Racial slurs, and Dementia

Minor: Cancer and Antisemitism