Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

366 reviews

thelittlebookishnerd's review

emotional hopeful mysterious 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

Where the Crawdads Sing is an historical fiction set in a small coastal town in North Carolina, but it's more than that. It's part mystery, part coming-of-age, part survival against odds, and part ode to the beauty of nature. It is a beautiful, heartbreaking novel about Kya finding strength after being abandoned by her entire family and shunned by the townsfolk when she was just 10 years old.

Honestly, I never felt a strong urge to read Where the Crawdads Sing and it wasn't for any particular or obvious reason. But a friend highly recommended it to me multiple times, so I gave in, and I am so happy that I did! This book was so easy to fall into and I loved seeing Kya learn, grow, and be resilient when it would be so easy to just give up. This book will stay with me for a long time.

If you're looking for a book with strong character development, I highly recommend Where the Crawdads Sing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Murder

saskiahill's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Mental illness, Self harm, Excrement, and Injury/Injury detail

hbotney's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Murder

bashsbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

its_erin's review

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

You won't want for descriptive imagery in this novel, as chapters are dedicated to the detailed depictions of "the marsh girl's" world. Meandering like a river, this book slowly weaves together the past and present from different perspectives to ultimately produce a story of love, loss, and the futility of going against the forces of nature.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Death of parent, and War

x_katiebennettx's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

AMAZING BOOK!! Wow, so beautifully written and a story with a diverse range of perspectives and teachings. Includes love, crime and solace - cannot recommend enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

caitsmythers's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Ancient Greeks defined love in seven different ways because they recognised there is more than just romantic love. This book is a testament to the ‘Agape’: a universal love and selfless love for strangers, our surroundings, animals etc. A common example of this is the love and devotion religious people will have for their God.

This book expertly describes and shows this kind of love Kya has for nature.

Not only do we see Agape, we see other types of love in this book and it is just so beautifully done.

Not only do we see all elements of love, Delia Owens manages to weave in a murder- mystery throughout the novel that doesn’t take away from the personal and human aspect of Kya. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Abandonment

kels24's review

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Toxic relationship

brynhayes's review

adventurous emotional inspiring sad slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

archer3's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book absolutely tore at my heart strings. The way Owens conveyed deep abandonment issues and trauma, along with the art of nature and experience of blossoming into womanhood, was beautiful. There were moments that seemed a bit cliche and corny, and

the age gap between Tate and Kya rubbed me the wrong way at the start of their relationship

. There were also a few parts that seemed a bit skipped over or unfinished, such as

when Kya learned about Chase's engagement. I feel like that was moved away from very quickly and I would've like to know what exactly happened between them when she found out

. But, overall, the book was well written and I personally enjoyed the ending. It's very much a

"here's your happy ending"

kind of book, but that's what I was in the mood for when I read it so I had no problem with that. I thought it was wrapped up very well, though the last few pages were very fast-paced.

I think the most emotional moment for me was Mabel embracing Kya after Jumpin' died. The parental relationship she grew with them was my favorite relationship in the whole book. I also appreciated the glimpse into Tate's regret surrounding his dad, and the fact that Owens addressed he was kind of obsessed with Kya. Their relationship was very cute though, and I loved that they ended up together.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Bullying, Cursing, and Racism