Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

309 reviews

annie_g00's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I have never, ever, read a book that was so good at making you hate every single character in it yet root for them so passionately. The ending had me in tears at the thought of these characters having even slightly unhappy endings, yet I can confidently say that none of them deserved even a chance at a happy ending. Also: there are so many content warnings I could put for this book, but I just put the ones that I found the most disturbing.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal cruelty

_jacket_oil_'s review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.25

Maybe I was just sold this book wrong but I thought it was going to be a critique of academia and how highly some people feel themselves to be above others. Which in some respects maybe I can see but also at the end of the day they are rich kids who get away with whatever they want. Also they way social topics are discussed I don’t think is done very well nor some of them even needing to be in book. You could talk out a lot of that from the book and nothing in the story would have to change. Overall I just don’t know if the book did a good enough job critiquing the things that I have read people say it does a good job at. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Murder, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Classism, Incest, and Physical abuse

Minor: Outing, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse

meic's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

a marvelous read and now Bunny Corcoran is my roman empire, an asshole but I just can’t stop thinking about him 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, Bullying, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Classism, Gore, Sexual content, Sexism, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Mental illness, Racism, Incest, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Murder, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, and Addiction

piikasmalls's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Drug use, Alcohol, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Alcoholism, Incest, Violence, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Cursing, Racism, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Blood

ducktofu's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Classism, Addiction, Murder, Suicide, Gun violence, and Drug use

Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Blood, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Incest

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

lucyford's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing tense 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

5.0

This book was SO GOOD. I don’t even know how to describe it in a way that truly encapsulates everything good about it. The plot is so well-written, and is really brought to life by the amazing writing style and slight poetic element to it, and all the atmospheres she creates just feel so real. Not to mention the foreshadowing (when you’re reading, you know it’s foreshadowing to something but you don’t know what it’s foreshadowing to, which is just so cool), and the fact that you’re always wondering how the story is possibly going to progress from point A to point B. The characters are all so complicated and interesting, and the themes of the books are very philosophical which makes the book all the more interesting. Overall, 10/10 read, absolutely exceeded my expectations. (ALSO THE ENDING??? CAUGHT ME SO OFF GUARD OMG)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Suicide, Body horror, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, Grief, Death, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Vomit, Gore, Sexism, Drug abuse, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content

Minor: Animal death, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Rape, Stalking, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

annadelph's review against another edition

dark funny 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Violence, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Cancer, Classism, Incest, and Death

Minor: Animal cruelty

dhritidipa7's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Bullying, Drug use, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Eating disorder, Incest, Islamophobia, Murder, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship

pastelbread's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Suicide

Moderate: Homophobia, Self harm, and Incest

Minor: Cancer, Physical abuse, and Rape

sophiaxscherm's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

There were times I was so entirely hooked but unfortunately also times that bored me. I really didn't like all the police and FBI stuff and couldn't wait till that part of the book was over. Everything before this part had me in such a grip, the way this exclusive group of students is depicted, their relationship to one another and to their teacher Julian and how Richard becomes part of the group and is woven into it is just great. What I think is fascinating about this book is how you not just see how the story unfolds through Richard's eyes but you also get to be a part of how he learns more about his friends and looses his fascination for them. It is unbelievable how much I thought I loved all of those characters in the beginning but realised how flawed all of them were, flawed being an immense underestimation here bc somehow all of them are really terrible people; how the complexity of their group is portrayed and they have no reason to trust anyone of each other though them being so exclusive and separated from most their peers. 

Henry killing himself in the end is so fitting and a good ending, however, I was a bit underhelmed. What I hated most about the end is how Richard still tries to win Camilla over, not just because the way he is being humiliated by Camilla when she tells him that she still loves Henry, but also because I felt like something clicked in Richard when he learned about this disgusting Camilla and Charles stuff and also that she kind of played with Richard all the time, I expected more of him and this really frustrates me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Death, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Blood, Incest, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, and Vomit