Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

558 reviews

willa_metamorphose's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It's been so long since I've been swept up in a book like this. An absolutely riviting read, though not in a heart pounding way. You are just fully absorbed into the world of this book. Owens' writing style has a deeply vivid, poetic quailty to it, while never crossing the line into overwriting or self-indulgence. The pacing is masterful, even with a non-linear storyline, there was never a moment in which I felt bored or impatient. Filled with deeply loveable, wholly deplorable, confusingly complicated characters, and pervaded by a deep sense of mystery, this tale unravels in a truly captivating fashion that kept me up reading into the wee hours of the morning.

The Firefly

Luring him was as easy
As flashing valentines.
But like a lady firefly
They hid a secret call to die.
A final touch,
Unfinished;
The last step, a trap.
Down, down he falls,
His eyes still holding mine
Until they see another world.

I saw them change.
First a question,
Then an answer,
Finally an end.

And love itself passing
To whatever it was before it began. A.H.

-I always believed that she killed him. And he deserved it from the very start. I am so satisfied

.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

lucygoose09's review

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, and Abandonment

jjcc's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, and Classism

ritakoppter's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, and Death of parent

joanna_banana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

This starts veeeeeerrryyyy slowly and really doesn’t get going until the last third. I enjoyed the ecological details and character development to a point - it was overly detailed. I felt the stereotypes were lazy: prejudice against Kya, Jumpin’ and his wife, the sheriff, the jock, the white villagers, etc. I also found it predictable. I’m surprised it was so popular. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Classism

alidaisy's review

dark inspiring reflective 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

5.0

Absolutely gorgeous storytelling and scenery. The reader would most definitely be able to distinguish the authors' love/knowledge of nature and animal behavior. I was so excited to pick up this book every time I would leave for my work commute. Highly recommend this novel to those seeking inner reflection about society, abandonment, wilderness and isolation, or anyone who loves swampy-marshy-salt-crust themes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

While there are mentions of many graphic themes, they aren't a part of the plot. However, there are scenes of the plot that actually include .

hereforthefunofit's review

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.0

is this not to kill a mockingbird?

i was most intrigued by the beginning of her life. i would have preferred much more of that mundane description rather than the narrative being overtaken by her relationships with men. consequently, the book lost steam for me in the centre, but the court aspect rejuvenated me a bit. it's an odd choice i think, but i definitely didn't hate it. 

i certainly did not like the notlikeothergirlsification of kya. of course, she wouldn't be like other girls. girlhood is due to socialisation, which she did not have much of. however, the constant reference to it from the male perspective made me think (read: know) that that's not how the author meant it. kya's not like other girls, she likes birds. and that's supposed to mean something to me. it didn't. i also DEFINITELY did not like tate and his and kya's relationship for reasons i think should be obvious, although i don't see many comments about it. he's not noble. he's weird. 

despite both sides, the book didn't have much impact on me. neither positive nor negative; hence, the rating. 

back to my earlier question...is this not to kill a mockingbird with leaves? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Car accident

emilyarice's review

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing 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

This was so good. Kya is such an emotionally deep character with a powerful mind but has been judged her entire life, and her prospects of love, daring and fun, and her very-real mistakes, truly made her embody a real human spirit. The novel was able to be informative and teach the reader about things that they would never learn on their own (specifically about the marsh) while also tugging at our heartstrings, making us love Tate but despise Chase. The one critique I have is that the last 2 chapters of the book could have been 6.

I understand that the end of the book was not the premise of the story but was rather giving the readers fulfillment with an end to the story. It just felt very rushed compared to the rest of the story, but it also makes sense because the rest of her life was lived in peace, while the intense parts that the book is actually about required more detail. 

Anyways, I loved the book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

lindsaywalsvick's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Self harm, Terminal illness, and Injury/Injury detail

fernliketheplant's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious 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? No

5.0

I loved it so much. I honestly did not predict the ending, although I suppose the signs were there. I loved how the things she noticed about nature reflected what was going on in her world. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse and Rape