Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Bloody Sweet, Vol. 2 by NaRae Lee

1 review

anxious_librarian's review

dark emotional funny inspiring sad slow-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? N/A

5.0

 I ended up reading something unexpected! I never read manga. I appreciate it, but it’s not something I typically like to read. But BLOODY SWEET is different! 

The manga is in full color (which I love) and has a magic and vampire filled story fit for the season. The mc Naerim might be one of my favorite characters of all time. She deals with so much pain while having absolutely no support until she accidentally finds her emotional-support vampire.

BLOODY SWEET has some fun humor, and even a romance subplot, but make no mistake there are some MAJOR content warnings for this one. Severe verbal, emotional, and physical bullying. Suicidal idelation. Discussions of past self-harm. Imprisonment. Death of a parent. 

Normally my biggest trigger is bullying plots. I can’t do them. But I made the choice here. And the catharsis I received when the bullies got what was coming to them was so intense I ended up on the floor cheering for Naerim out loud 😂 

I am ready for the next few volumes. The library hasn’t gotten the others in yet and I am impatiently waiting for that shipment!

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Confinement, Self harm, and Blood

The first 2 volumes of this (I haven't read the others yet) deal heavily with bullying. The main character is physically, verbally, and emotionally abused by her classmates as they play the teachers into thinking nothing is wrong and gaslighting/threatening Naerim into not reporting them. These lead her to feeling as if she would be better off dead and one prevented instance f attempted suicide (walking off a roof). Over these 2 volumes Naerim also experiences kindness from others and receives emotional support from the vampire living in her closet. These two things combined give her the courage to report the bullying at the end of volume 2 and receive the help and support system she deserves.