Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

54 reviews

iheartapolloxxi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Blood, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Classism, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, and Incest

joyfulfoodie's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

Let me start with this; this is a most elegantly written novel. The style is superb and absorbing. The perspectives make it a very important read. 
But while some sections you can float in the prose and just enjoy how fabulous a storyteller Morrison is, the overall subject matter has some deeply disturbing threads. Yes, you know this already if you’ve read even one summary of the book. It doesn’t make it easier to read. It is heartbreaking and disgusting and so so overwhelming that you can’t help but read with a grimace. 
I know this book has changed me and I will be thinking about it for a long time. I do recommend reading this between fluffier pieces to keep balance. 

The banned elephant in the room… I understand why this book gets put up for bans. It has some really dark stuff. But while I don’t know what age I would recommend this to my future hypothetical offspring (certainly after they’ve learned about sex in a more loving and positive context) and I would rather they not have to read this with someone unqualified to guide them through it (which happens in schools sometimes- either due to peers or professionals…). All that said, I cannot imagine denying this voice. Context matters. Don’t ban books. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Animal death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Classism, and Racism

lizziaha's review against another edition

4.25

The language in this book is so wonderful. Each word tumbles into the next—a pace that I occasionally wanted to slam the brakes on due to the perverse and horrific things the words depicted. But the words tumbled on, slipping and sliding and settling in my brain. It’s odd, because they seemed comfortable at first, but quickly became restless as Morrison’s words stayed in my brain long after I’d put down the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Racial slurs, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Bullying, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Classism, and Sexual content

Minor: Excrement, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Abandonment

vanesst's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Abandonment, Excrement, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcohol, and Child death

araowl's review against another edition

This book is beautifully written but it's shattering my heart into a million pieces and making me burn with rage and honestly my body can't handle these intense emotions right now. I know as a white person I shouldn't shelter myself from stories like this that are all too real, but... yeah I have no excuse other than the desire to protect my mental health. The topic of beauty is especially triggering for me, and seeing this wonderful little girl hate herself and get abused by everyone around her, it's so beyond sad that it makes me feel sick. Maybe I'm just too sensitive right now. I really want to read more books by black authors that are a bit more hopeful and fun to read and have characters falling in love, going on adventures, etc. maybe all of this means I'm in the mood for genre fiction rather than literary right now and you know what that's ok. This book is great, and it's so important but... fuck. Maybe I'll try it again someday when I'm in a healthier and more self-assured mental state and have the ability to read this with a bit more emotional distance so I can appreciate it fully🙃

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Rape, Child abuse, and Incest

aleksanski's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Incest, Dysphoria, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Abandonment, Bullying, Abortion, Death of parent, and Miscarriage

Minor: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

gkgkgk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Animal death, Bullying, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Grief, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Addiction, Pedophilia, Rape, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Alcohol

breeski's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I was a bit confused at first since I thought it would be in Pecola's POV, but it was from the POV of other characters that would interact sometimes with Pecola. It didn't talk much about her for being a book about her.
I still really enjoyed it and think it's up there with necessary reads. Definitely read trigger warnings before reading. This is the type of book that you never feel good after reading. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, and Incest

bimbo_andthe_bookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

too many things to say, full review on my blog

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Rape, Hate crime, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Pedophilia, Incest, and Abandonment

Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia

tannisahermansyah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

I absolutely loved this. I found the subject matter challenging but very reflective. I also found the prose a little challenging at times but I will get better at comprehension. It really makes you think about what beauty means and how you use it to construct your identity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Incest, Miscarriage, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment