Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Freshwater, by Akwaeke Emezi

34 reviews

eliakine's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-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

4.5

this was a bit of a tricky read! not because it was difficult to read, the narrative voice was so clear, it made actually reading the book feel lovely and smooth. the topics discussed however were very heavy and numerous, so it's definitely not one for the faint of heart. even still, I don't regret picking it up at all, I just know that going forward I should be more careful to familiarise myself with content warnings before starting to read lol

I really enjoyed reading about Ada, and Emezi so skillfully wrote from so many different perspectives and voices this truly was a wonderful time. :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Child abuse, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Minor: Physical abuse, Violence, and Outing

kmgard's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Body horror, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Outing, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, and Drug use

kebbymoxie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

Through reading this book I moved from wanting to read and then give to someone else to wanting to keep this book alongside me. It is really tough to get through but a really powerful read about spirituality and trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault

kumquats87's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria and Gaslighting

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexual content, Child death, Colonisation, Self harm, Body horror, Biphobia, Mental illness, Medical content, and Injury/injury detail

Minor: Violence, Transphobia, and Suicidal thoughts

liannaengland's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Violence, Rape, Child abuse, and Eating disorder

woweewhoa's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

An incredible book about identity and how it intersects with spirituality, trauma, and living. Akwaeke Emezi's writing is really vivid, and most of the explicit scenes, while yes they are explicit, they don't feel voyeuristic. I think this book very good, though please exercise caution as the book is very dark, though it does end on a hopeful note. A lot of heavy subject matter in present in this book, and I feel like most of it is done very well and with a caring hand. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Rape, Sexual content, Self harm, Violence, and Mental illness

Moderate: Child abuse, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Medical content, and Addiction

Minor: Body shaming, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, and Fatphobia

angelayyj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape

Moderate: Suicide attempt

elmo_isnotmyname's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This was a dense ride. Through abuse, rape, self-harm, loneliness, mental illness, migration; spirituality.
The protagonist's 'fractured selves' spoke more than the protagonist themself -- though: what even is a self?, they end up wondering.

Instead of telling a lifetime of traumatic events through the eyes of the person battling against their ensuing 'madness' (as it is called here) -- we follow 'the madness' battling against the human body it is bound to. Outrageous lust and anger splitting the Ada (the protagonist) and their memories into multiple versions. Ultimatly as to protect the Ada.

So this can be read as a story about Dissociative Identitiy Disorder; weaving in tales of Igbo gods, myths, and spirituality.
There are many graphic scence of violence. The latter endeared this book to me (-- I'm sorry, as a reader I'm just craving for mirrors of myself, but I don't want to spoil this work of art by mixing in my own ego.)
I'm looking forward to reading Emezi's other work!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gore, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Car accident, Eating disorder, and Panic attacks/disorders

noahsingh's review against another edition

challenging dark

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Transphobia and Violence

hannahhyslop1999's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

Moderate: Self harm