Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt

82 reviews

iceperg's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

sarahfa's review against another edition

dark funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

Frankie and Vanya‘s relationship was hot and felt realistic and genuine. By the end, the body horror went too gross for me, but that is me. I love when authors describe very detailed things (like parasite life cycles, pregnancy kink). It gives the writing so much life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Incest

vincentvanhough's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

loved the book until the last chapter

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Hate crime, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Suicide, Blood, and Vomit

Minor: Deadnaming, Drug use, Self harm, and Alcohol

skogsheks's review against another edition

challenging dark tense

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Murder, and Dysphoria

rivergardner's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Excrement, Vomit, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Murder, and Dysphoria

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, and Death of parent

calcified_boner's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Deliciously gross, practically parasitic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Hate crime, Incest, Sexual content, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Minor: Ableism, Abandonment, and Classism

gaeliloveweiss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

saccharinewoe's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

this was like if someone took that one blowfly girl story and used it as an allegory for the parasitic nature of transphobia and bigotry. interesting piece of transgressive fiction that made me feel genuinely sick and disturbed - i did have to take a break when the author suggested for it in the middle of the book lol. i literally have no idea what the ending is supposed to mean though, i feel like i hallucinated it. but like the writing was phenomenal and easy to follow until the last bit. i genuinely would not be able to recommend this to anyone unless i knew they were able to handle it in all its grossness and horrific imagery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Hate crime, Incest, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Drug use, Sexual assault, Murder, and Dysphoria

devsreadsnrambles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Fair warning to all who read this book - It is gross and terrifying and uncomfortable but man oh man is it good. I borrowed a copy from my library and I ate this up in 24 hours. I could not put it down. Kind of like watching a car wreck, its terrifying and uncomfy but we can't look away. 

I am an avid horror fan. This book made me squeamish and want to clean my brain. I loved the not so subtle topic of trans-gender folx experiences in the UK and the cost of the lack of empathy and humanity they are treated with. This story is not for the feint of heart. But I believe it is so damn important to read. If you think you're uncomfortable reading this? Imagine how a trans person feels just living their life. 

I would 100% read again. I have read Alison's previous book Tell Me I'm Worthless and while I didn't enjoy it AS much, I think Alison is an incredible writer. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body shaming

readingwithgoose's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Some parts of this were reallly strong, and if you're looking for something gross that's also well-written, this'll do it for you. I think some of the more experimental parts went over my head tbh, but I still somehow couldn't put this one down.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Dysphoria