Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

33 reviews

riley2005's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Alcoholism

Moderate: Cancer, Fatphobia, and Homophobia

Minor: Abortion

lowkey need a hbo remake miniseries about this, was so sad when jennifer died, she was my favorite character

rose12435's review

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

This book is dark and like bojack horseman for girls that enjoy drama and misery. While this book isn't happy, I genuinely enjoyed finding out how much worse the characters could get.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicide, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Alcoholism, Cancer, Fatphobia, Cursing, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Rape, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Drug use, and Grief

This book is dark and not afraid to hurt it's reader. Please please please be careful when reading it

brooke_city's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

TW for pill addiction, suicide

This was pretty progressive for a novel written in the 60s. With the emergence of women's lib, women wrestled for control of their lives. Yes, there's cattiness and drama, but also important themes.

Helen was the most feminist leaning. She works hard to afford the life of luxury she wants, and she isn't afraid to be forthcoming about wanting men for sex. And of course, everyone labeled her as "difficult."

Anne started out firm, but became a doormat for Lyon. For why. What did he bring to her life. Girl stand up!

Jennifer's is perhaps the most tragic. There's a scene in which she is sexually assaulted while on the phone with Anne. Though, in the 60s, it wouldn't have been seen that way. She later has an abortion bc her husband has a mental illness that can be passed on genetically. She also discovers she has polyps on her ovaries, and a malignant tumor on her breast. She commits suicide. All important issues for a novel in the 60s, although a lot for 1 character.

Neely struggles with addiction, overdosing, and spends time in rehab.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Addiction

Moderate: Abortion and Suicide

Minor: Fatphobia

robyn1998's review

dark funny informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I'm glad I read this, but if I ever read the trigger warnings I would've left it alone. There's an enormous amount of diet talk, specific weights (some of which were a bit too real for me), ED behaviour and so on. Not to mention the fatphobia and dehumanisation of women. 
That being said, it's 4 stars because it was somehow so entertaining. I just couldn't put it down. It was like a time capsule and I love that in a book, especially when it's set in the US in the middle of the 20th century. Makes me want to read more Truman Capote books. I liked the characterisations, even though the characters themselves were mostly horrible.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Classism, Body shaming, Abortion, Homophobia, Misogyny, Addiction, Fatphobia, and Drug use

noshinbean's review

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Cancer, Grief, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Death, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

chrisp189's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Drug use, Eating disorder, Addiction, Fatphobia, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicide, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, and Toxic friendship

tschmitty's review

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

 I understand how this was a sensational read at the time of publication, but the longer it went on the less I cared about the three characters involved. Neely was especially annoying, what a pill! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Body shaming, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Addiction, Homophobia, Abortion, Alcoholism, Drug use, Cancer, and Sexism

camillatd's review

0.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexism, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Abortion, Eating disorder, Addiction, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, and Antisemitism

bxcvi's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Drug use, Homophobia, Addiction, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Abortion, Biphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Medical content, and Cancer

imliterallygemelle's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I cannot believe Neely betrayed Anne like that in the end! It should've been her instead of Jennifer.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia and Homophobia

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Abortion