Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

11 reviews

gwenswoons's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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

5.0

Just finished this and wept (not for the first time while reading it). I have physical copies of both this and Family Lore (which is next-ish on my TBR, esp now ❤️), but I downloaded The Poet X on audio on a whim a week ago - read by the author herself, so gorgeously it stops the heart. I’ve been listening on the way to and from my quartet rehearsals this week, and kept often having to turn it back a minute to just hear the words one more time, sometimes two - every single line, word, moment is so precious and so unlike anything I have ever read.  I cannot tell you how much you need to read this book. Every word is a miracle.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Homophobia

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

Moving, beautiful novel in verse about how sometimes you have to become who you’re meant to be despite whatever obstacles stand in your way, even when those obstacles might be the people who are supposed to love and care about you the most. A quick read, this book moved me through every conceivable emotion and the relationship between the mother and daughter, while not exactly like my own, definitely resonated with me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Religious bigotry

ollie_again's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Body shaming, and Emotional abuse

t_higgsreviews's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

5.0

5 Stars
CAWPILE = 9.04

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia

escaping_america's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Body shaming, Violence, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Sexual content, Racism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

lectricefeministe's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Bullying, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

criticalbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Violence

coffeeatthebeachwoodcafe's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

ciao_potatoes's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

mthereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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 book surprised, delighted, and enraged me at different turns. I was delighted at how much I loved Xiomara's voice, surprised that it took me so long to pick this book up (I was underwhelmed by Acevedo's With the Fire on High, so was hesitant on this one - wrongfully so!) and enraged at the abuse Xiomara's Mami rained down on her in the name of religion.

Xiomara & Mami's resolution saddened me. I don't know if it's a type of strength I don't have, or if X didn't have the type of strength to leave, but I wish X had left home for good. Her relationship with her mother should have been irreparably broken after all the abuse and gaslighting, and finally what she did to X's notebook. I don't understand how that's forgivable, but X did it, and stayed.

I'm so over religion being an avenue and excuse for mental, verbal, and physical abuse, so those aspects of this book gave me some strong feelings. Very well done. Highly recommend listening to this one on audiobook - the author reads it herself, and as she is a National Poetry Slam Champion, her voice gives the poetry more oomph than my inner voice ever could!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse