Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Girls by Emma Cline

103 reviews

jkull_10's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Violence, Death, Murder, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Self harm, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Gore

zeliiiieeee's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Murder, and Sexual violence

bluesplodge's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

some really good observations and writing but i didn’t feel that the two timelines weaved together nicely; overall the ‘present day’ stuff was more interesting to me and the flashback sections felt drawn out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Body shaming

gellyreads's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Wow. I am kind of surprised that I loved this book as much as I did. It was slow, and it felt like nothing happened, but it also felt so dark, twisted, and intense. I also feel like Cline has produced some of the most realistic and authentic feminist prose in fiction that I've seen recently. I have so many quotes and passages from this book that I loved, that I just had to write down for future me, which ultimately lead me to giving this 5 stars. This book is not for every body. It is incredibly messed up, but it is also a very accurate image of what it is like to be a white woman in the patriarchy.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Drug use, Murder, Sexual assault, Cursing, Misogyny, Violence, and Rape

kfergy's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

1.75

Had this not been for a book club, I would have DNFd the book, I just found it to be boring and not worth reading the underage, questionable-consent sex that took place. 

Who is the audience for this book, someone vaguely interested in the Manson family for vibes but doesn't want to read Helter Skelter? So yeah, not for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual violence

Minor: Suicide and Toxic friendship

knikchevich's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Child abuse, Blood, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

raisinreads's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

It seems like her writing style is hit or miss w people, I quite enjoyed it. I do agree with other reviewers that the present day plotline added little.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

maddamreads's review against another edition

reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I was immersed in the world of this book very quickly! Cline’s decision to make it set in the past and present, as well as first person narration brings you in, even while the narrator is somewhat biased. The commentary on girlhood/womanhood is not anything new, but put very bluntly, imposing a sense of connection to afab/woman readers. I did not like the constant hinting at the events at the end of the book. It felt like it was intended to keep me reading, but it comes off as mildly immature and distrusting of Clines own great storytelling. 
Overall, a thrilling story and a great character study. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Murder, Violence, and Child death

Moderate: Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Drug use, and Toxic friendship

Difficult Mother/daughter and father/daughter relationships.

panic_at_the_bookshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The build up and the basics of the plot were amazing and made you want to reach the ending of the story. However the ending was rather disappointing. I feel like there are still plenty of loose ends. 

Some scenes and characters felt rather empty. Sex was mentioned sooo many times. There are plenty of scenes where a minor is sexually involved with plenty of adults, often twice her age. Not sure if these scenes should have been this explicit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Blood, Death, Sexual content, Murder, Addiction, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Domestic abuse

literally_mint's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Sexual content