Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Group by Mary McCarthy

4 reviews

polyphonicprairies's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

It has been a long long time since I've been so compelled to immediately re-read the last few pages of a book. A devastating denouement and exposé of a key character which immediately cohered the entire novel. God, it was SO GOOD.

Having a highly intelligent and wily character like Lakey re-emerge in the final act to absolutely annihilate the reader's view of Harald feels like McCarthy's late-stage intervention to protect Kay. The irony comes in waves - this unravelling comes far too late; it should have been Kay's view of Harald being annihilated; Kay and Lakey could have circumvented the whole sorry mess and gone off together in the first place. Truly incomparable writing that simultaneously breaks your heart, makes you gasp and fills you with righteous anger.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, and Misogyny

morenowagain's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Mental illness, Misogyny, War, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Violence, Antisemitism, Grief, Rape, Death, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Racism, Violence, Sexism, Suicide attempt, War, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Self harm, Excrement, Infidelity, and Lesbophobia

teresareads's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Rape, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Antisemitism, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Miscarriage, Classism, Lesbophobia, and Religious bigotry

_inge_'s review against another edition

informative sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

For a book about a group of college friends, I found the amount of interaction between the friends disappointing. It was all about their relationships with others (mainly men and family) and about what they thought about the others in the group, but very little actual conversation. The final chapter was the most interactive - unfortunately that's where the book ends.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Miscarriage