Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

アーモンド by Won-pyung Sohn

51 reviews

bookrecsanddnfs's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I came here because it was free on KU and I stayed because I saw that Yoongi read it during In the Soop. I thought the writing itself and the style was really spectacular. This book was short, and the chapters were short, which I liked. I enjoyed the writing and the characters, and I liked reading the book. However, I thought the ending was wrapped up too nicely and illogical.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Blood, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail

le_mur's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Abandonment

Minor: Gun violence

stardustdreamer's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Confinement

mykes's review against another edition

5.0

reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Toxic friendship

rudychleb's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-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

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szybko się czyta, rozdziały są krótkie, przez co akcja też szybko mknie do przodu. jest pierwszoosobowa narracja, pisane jako forma jakiegoś dziennika głównego bohatera.
ciężkie tematy są poruszane, bardzo graficzne opisy przemocy wobec ludzi i zwierząt, momentami ciężko się czytało.
pierwsze 160 stron mi się podobało, ale ostatnie 60 stron... miałam wrażenie, że wszystko za szybko się zmienia. i końcówka w ogóle mi się nie zgrywa, na przestrzeni 5 stron 5 różnych wątków się domknęło i zakończyło happy endem, ale przez to że wydarzyło się to nagle i tak szybko, nie odczuwa się zbytnio szczęścia z tego powodu. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Physical abuse, Medical content, Toxic friendship

abibliophobic_nerd's review against another edition

3.25

dark hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I see why 남준 and 윤기 liked this book. I see both of them in it. Should have written the review sooner though, my links are starting to blur but again it was still interesting to see, throughout my reading, two of my favorite people “reflected” in this story.

 Contrary to what I heard from some people, I thought the author did a good job of telling a story through someone who cannot feel emotions without making it seem lifeless. Not the most memorable book but still one that will stick with me, I think.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail

just22jess22's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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A beautifully crafted coming-of-age book that centers around a young boy with a brain condition that singles him out at every turn, Almond is a book that is hard to forget. 

I loved the juxtaposition between Yunjae and Gon, although they were such contrasting characters, I really loved the scenes of them interacting with each other and taking on the world they had been dropped into with such different approach. 

There were so many things in this book that I thought were really clever, most of which I am hesitant to write about in detail for fear of ruining the plot... But I will say that I found Almond to be heartfelt, reflective, complex and impactful. I loved how the hopelessness and frustration leapt off the page in places and most of all, I loved how immersive and all-consuming the writing style was.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail

kaymichelle's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

emilyharmonica's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The brilliance of this novel is how, despite the story being told through the lens of someone incapable of experiencing typical emotions, the overall effect is a highly emotional one. It’s unsettling and upsetting, yet strangely uplifting. Yunjae’s inner monologue is oddly charming as he tries to make sense of the world and of human nature without a frame of reference most people take for granted. What is “good” or “evil” without the fear most of us are born with, or without the moral compass our society instills into us? What is love, exactly, without the fear of losing the ones who are dearest to us?

I enjoyed the short “chapters” of this book, which made it quick to read through and enhanced the fragmented, almost stream-of-consciousness style of the narrative. Part of me felt like resolution of the story was way too convenient, and while I was expecting a slightly darker or more ambiguous ending, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved that everyone got a happy ending, more or less.

Almond clocks in at under 300 pages, making it easy to breeze through in a day or two. This was such a unique little story, and I’m so glad I picked it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail

mon11257's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, Death of parent, Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal cruelty