Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Brother by Ania Ahlborn

35 reviews

hannxm's review

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual assault, Incest, Rape, and Sexual content

itsjustgrumpy's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Grim. Chews up your heart and spits it out. Then chews it up again. Some absolutely fantastic character work in this one! Just umm... check your Content Warnings...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexual assault, Torture, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Child death, Abandonment, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Alcohol, and Rape

Moderate: Homophobia and Cursing

jgrady93's review

challenging dark emotional sad fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Gore

jennneely82's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Death, Gore, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence

cowboytd's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Murder, Body horror, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Gore, Violence, Incest, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Trafficking

shirtypantser's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Blood, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexism, Gun violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Stalking, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual assault and Rape

anastasiabeth's review

dark sad tense fast-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

5.0

Extremely dark and twisted but what a gripping and entertaining read. SA trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Homophobia, Gore, Death, Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Incest, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Rape

aleen_elizabeth's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gore, Body shaming, Cancer, Incest, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Child death, Death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cannibalism, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Slavery, Vomit, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual harassment, and Violence

killmoore_'s review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-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

5.0

I am devastated that I'll never get to experience this book for the first time again. 

I went into Brother thinking that I had the big twist spoiled for me, and woo was I wrong. The characters are so well written that it made me physically uncomfortable at times - and the duel point of view is both disturbing and truly heart breaking. We have the birth of a serial killer on one side, explaining the world through his trauma and perception, then we have Michael and his battle against his own morality and the bonds of blood. Phenomenal writing, and an absolutely devastating story. I'm honestly glad that it didn't end with a pretty bow - it couldn't have ended in a better way.

While this is gruesome and pretty bloody at points, I would not consider it over the top or anywhere near splatterpunk territory. Check your trigger warnings and you should be fine. This is mainly a story of love and loss, and what it means to be family - kind of. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death of parent, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

shysheepys's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.25

A twist I didn't expect. This is scary, tense, depressing, and I couldn't put it down. I appreciate the shift of point-of-views to keep you on your toes as well as to break up the really stressful parts.

I feel so bad for Michael!! And Alice too!! I wanted nothing but the best for the two poor kids.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Cannibalism, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body horror, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Incest, and Rape

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Abandonment