Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Särmikäs Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

222 reviews

dawnpenn's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional 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: Complicated

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Could not put this book down from the start. I read it in 3 days. Grips you and can’t stop reading. It was quite disturbing . Adult reading only. I would have given this 5/5 but the ending let it down for me. However, I would recommend this book. The manager at Waterstones recommended this to me after reading Richard Osman books, something a little alternative!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Kidnapping, Pregnancy

emmacragg's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping

Minor: Rape, Murder

princessfabulous's review against another edition

2.0

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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My score mainly reflects my visceral response to the tone and subject matter of this book. The entire book is dark and disturbing, but I find myself most upset with the ending. There is no resolution and I am concerned about the state of Sally Diamond. It's troubling feeling to have about fictional characters! I guess that says something about the quality of the writing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic

catrinlj's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I went into this knowing very little about it except that Sally was viewed as an ‘eccentric character’. Got a bit of surprise when I realised what this book was actually about. It is incredibly dark but very compellingly written. It’s a story about how one terrible individual damages a whole host of people in his orbit over a number of years, and about Sally’s efforts to learn the truth about herself and overcome her difficulties. The ending was

sad

, and its message seemed to be that

whatever you do, you can’t escape your trauma, which feels a bit depressing

. However, I’m glad I read it (but do check the content warnings first if you’re sensitive to certain things). 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape

stellabrannon's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail

laurajaynet13's review against another edition

2.5

dark sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Kidnapping, Death of parent

bps's review against another edition

4.0

dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

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: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Kidnapping

catell's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is my new favourite book. I LOVED every single page 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol

lavanyasbooks's review against another edition

4.0

dark sad 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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It’s one of the strangest darkest books I have ever read. Containing every trigger one can think of it’s a difficult read but I finished it in a day only because I couldn’t stop wondering what’s going to happen next. 

I have rated it four stars for the sheer gumption of the author to come up with such a difficult story that evokes such pathos and yet making you sympathise with dark characters who in principle do not deserve your sympathy. 

I just had a problem with the ambiguous ending but I guess this story couldn’t have ended any other way. 

Go into it blind but prepared your heart to be broken. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment

patch22's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 26%

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Too traumatizing and I can take a lot

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Pregnancy