Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

26 reviews

seventhswan's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

I do so wish this book hadn't been narrated by a man - even more so when I realised it was set in the 21st century, which wasn't immediately apparent due to the setting of the Mennonite community. I sort of understand why this choice was made, but I still think it would have been completely possible to have a woman narrator or a third-person narration; however sympathetic, I didn't want to read about violence against women and decision-making by women from a man's perspective.

Apart from that, though, the actual writing of the book was masterfully done and made for a compelling read despite being, genuinely, very little more than a group of women having an important conversation in a barn. I got a great sense of the different characters and their various motivations, and wanted nothing but good things for them. I want to know what happened next - as well as what happened to the real women the book is based on.

Although the premise of the book relies on horrific sexual violence (so I've marked it as graphic), I'm grateful that it didn't rely on vivid depictions of this for shock value. The few sentences alluding to the impact of the violence on different women and girls both got the point across and demonstrated its routine nature in the community. You don't need to know exact details of what happened to the women - after all, they don't themselves - and I appreciated Toews' focus on the aftermath without resorting to flashbacks and trauma porn. 

I would recommend this book, in spite of my issues with the parts of it that focused on August. It felt like an important read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Suicide

Minor: Vomit, Death, Gun violence, and Incest

musicalkat16's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny

Minor: Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Incest, Dementia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Cursing, and Death of parent

blairsatellite's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

Minor: Vomit

bookdragonkatie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Child abuse

Moderate: Violence, Vomit, Suicide, and Pregnancy

sterlingreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Rape, Child abuse, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

saara_ilona_muu's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Incest

chromiumboron's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5

Ent moot but with Mennonite women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexism, Child abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Incest, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Suicide and Gun violence

Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy

charlottesreadingweb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

A crushing story of bravery, sisterhood, and solidarity in the face of horrors inflicted upon women by men they trusted. An important meditation on womanhood/girlhood, power, patriarchy, and the weaponization of religion for control. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time, and I look forward to watching the screen adaptation. Please check content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Vomit, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, and Incest

bbooklight's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

toews crafts a story as smooth as your own train of thought, and chronicles the fierce and gentle feminine energy that i resonate with so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

theladyjess's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide