Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed

18 reviews

emilyinherhead's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

"I'll never know, and neither will you of the life you don't choose. We'll only know that whatever that sister life was, it was important and beautiful and not ours. It was the ghost ship that didn't carry us. There's nothing to do but salute it from the shore."

This book is a warm, reassuring hug. Obviously not every letter and response will be directly relatable to every reader, but Sugar answers such a wide variety of people that there's bound to be something here that speaks to you.

I found myself tearing up a few different times, just at how thoughtful and tender Cheryl Strayed's advice is, how stern but also how gentle her voice. She obviously cares very much about everyone who writes to her, and a lot about her own life comes out in the process of writing back, which makes her even more admirable and trustworthy as someone giving counsel to others. She's been there, she gets it, and she wants better for you. Her writing is also excellent on a language level—I wrote down a few sentences to remember just because they were beautiful.

This book is one I've had on my shelf for a while. I'm so glad I finally read it, and I will absolutely be revisiting it in the future whenever I need another dose of Sugar's wisdom.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Domestic abuse

becksusername's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

A book I needed

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

elliebell7's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25

i really loved this book and i have nothing bad to say about her writing or the things she said/advice she gave, i just found it challenging to read an entire book of advice columns. however i also read this book pretty fast and would recommend taking more time to read and digest it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

lya_thebananahead's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

This book will hold you tight and force you to look at other people's fears and insecurities and question your own actions and you'll be gratefull for it. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Abortion, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Miscarriage, and Mental illness

raelong12's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

immodestgender's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

Honestly incredible book. Sugar has a way of seeing the world that is all at once heartbreaking and immensely hopeful. I was given this by my partner and I hadn't finished it before I bought a copy for my Mum. It really helped me do some much needed processing about a past relationship and look at the world a little differently. My only gripe is that Sugar at one point describes someone who's polyamorous as needing to make a descision and settle down, which is pretty disheartening to read as a polyam person.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Infidelity

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Rape

paigieodo's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.75

The reading sample for this book opens with a story from the author's life that made me flinch and stop reading. I'm not usually a fan of books that lay bare the grotesque and violent nature of the world with such grim language; I typically prefer gentler allusions to horrifying truths and then a more nuanced uncovering of their evils. But this year, I came across a handful of novels and stories that changed my mind slightly on this matter. Obasan by Joy Kogawa, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi — many novels I read this year allowed me to explore the grossness of humanity without losing perspective on how beautiful it is, as well.

So I pressed on with Tiny Beautiful Things.

And it was the right decision. Through Sugar, Cheryl Strayed offers the most honest and kind-hearted advice rooted in a deep love for her fellow humans. I consider myself to be very reflective, very intelligent, very aware of myself and how to operate as a good person in this world. I didn't think I would learn much from this collection. But I did. It filled me. It brought me the feeling that all of us, even those who feel sickeningly wrong so much of the time, will be okay if we try.

Strayed is unafraid to explore the awful and the absurd. But more than that, she is unafraid to try to find wonder and possibility in all of it. It is hopeful. It is terrifying. It is brimming with love. And it is absolutely worth reading, no matter who you are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Death, and Child abuse

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, and Sexual content

carabones's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia