Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Dominicana by Angie Cruz

29 reviews

jjb21's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense slow-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

A nice writing style and a unique, captivating setting. About a young Dominican woman moving to New York in the 60s, and having to live with a man she doesn’t love. She’s an infuriating yet loveable character. Not much happens, but I quite liked that - it’s kind of the point.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Rape, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Racism, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Death, Racial slurs, Grief, Gaslighting, Fatphobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Alcohol, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Medical content

leahkarge's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Violence, Rape, Racism, Sexual violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Classism, and Colonisation

Moderate: Antisemitism, War, and Police brutality

sarahelem's review

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Went into this not knowing what I was getting into. This is heavy. I cried. Still, I think this book sheds light on an important narrative that I think we should all hear.

Take note: this book is very trigger heavy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: War, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Minor: Deportation, Colonisation, Antisemitism, Hate crime, Gun violence, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Incest, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Infidelity

litliz's review

challenging 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book took me a bit to get into but once I was in, I was in all the way. Ana grows so much during the course of the book, which begins in the Dominican Republic but quickly takes her journey to Washington Heights. There are some really lovely passages that depict different things - one of my favorites essentially shows her disassociation in the wake of receiving tragic news after experiencing a series of traumas. Another fascinating chapter discusses the challenges faced by Dominicans in the US during the Civil Rights movement, and the idea that black people would resent Dominicans or perhaps feel that they had the market cornered on oppression and prejudice. I felt like the novel really highlighted the strength of its protagonist Ana’s spirit, the complicated dynamics between mother and daughter, and the very mixed feelings Ana has for almost every person she consistently interacts with, particularly her abusive husband, Juan, whom she feels both a strong loathing but also indebted to. Ana’s voice in particular felt very authentic and real to me and is the reason this book was so powerful, in my mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Medical content, and Misogyny

Moderate: Fatphobia

Minor: Ableism, Deportation, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Miscarriage, Violence, Vomit, War, Excrement, and Xenophobia

absolute_bookery's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

A true reflection of what it means to be an immigrant. There is so much emotion in here but it's written so subtly and beautifully! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and War

kaitsarago's review against another edition

challenging hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault

selene_6_23's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity

Minor: Alcohol

catsandbookspluspup's review

challenging sad slow-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual harassment, War, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

libre_coffeeandpages's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

Personally, this story was a SOLID 4 stars. I couldn’t put it down and literally finished it in a single sitting. My heart really ached for the protagonist, and I instantly appreciated the fact that I picked up this book. The only reason why I didn’t give it 5 stars was because the prose weren’t as spellbinding as I normally prefer. Given the story and the leading lady though, I don’t know how else it could’ve been, but that was just my reaction after letting the story settle for a bit. Dominicana is insightful, inspirational, and an emotional piece. I really recommend it for those that enjoy novels inspired by real stories, anyone that has an interest in immigration or immigrant stories, or perhaps someone looking to alleviate some of their own pains through shared trauma experience in stories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, and Racism

Minor: Violence and Death

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Death, Grief, Incest, Gun violence, War, Alcohol, Child death, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Car accident, Colonisation, Excrement, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Vomit, Ableism, Abortion, Antisemitism, and Drug use

Smoking. Strangulation/suffocation. Colorism, antiblackness.