Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

42 reviews

ok7a's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Self harm, and Sexual content

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Infidelity

Minor: Rape, Domestic abuse, and Suicide attempt

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Sexual assault, Rape, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Body horror, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Blood, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Car accident

Moderate: Grief, Alcoholism, Drug use, Infidelity, Transphobia, Pedophilia, Suicide, Death, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Homophobia, Fatphobia, and Outing

Assault scenes are present but not extremely graphic; aftermath and results are covered more extensively than events themselves, though there are frank descriptions of rape and (C)SA.

whatannikareads's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

this is one of the best books I’ve ever read ever. I basically read this book in one sitting. Once you wrap your head around the initial writing style and concepts, holy shit you’re hooked. I have never read anything like this and I don’t think I ever will again. It’s such a unique, poetic, dark, intriguing way to handle trauma, grief, loss, love, heartbreak, incorporating the mythology of Nigerian spirituality. The pacing hooked me and i like how things weren’t explained super explicitly; the bad things that happen are revealed as we go on, and it made me stop and reflect on why Ada acted/reacted the way she/they did.

Stunning. Reminds me of The Vanishing Half, as in how can a debut book be THIS fucking good. Like holy shit dude I don’t know if I know what I read but every sentence felt like I could frame it.

MAJOR trigger warnings for rape, suicidal thoughts, mental illness, abuse 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Car accident, Mental illness, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

camimonae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

june_haya's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Self harm

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Domestic abuse

summerb's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Blood

Minor: Abandonment, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, and Child abuse

ceciliabereadin's review

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

This book was very hard to read. I recommend looking at the content warnings (because I surely didn't) because a lot of the themes are heavy. Very well written and interesting book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Self harm

laurareads87's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

<i>Freshwater</i> is a novel that I didn't read when it first came out mostly due to the content warnings, and they are warranted - this is a difficult read.  However, I'm so glad that I did read it -- it is incredibly well written, deeply affecting, innovative, and captivating -- magical realism at its absolute best.  Beyond being an incredible story, <i>Freshwater</i> is a reflection on identity, selfhood, and spirit that is unlike anything I've ever read before.  Incredible debut -- I very much look forward to reading Emezi's work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Blood, Rape, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia

rattification's review

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual violence

arwa's review

dark emotional

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt