Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Särmikäs Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

181 reviews

laurinbren's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Kidnapping, Death of parent

Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia

abbysingh's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Body horror, Suicide, Car accident

fluffy1st's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence

Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

sparrowliz's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping

Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Car accident, Pandemic/Epidemic

ppppaula's review against another edition

5.0

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Fast paced, dark thriller. Think Room + Eleanor Oliphant. I couldn’t put it down despite the dark subject. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Car accident

weekatsie's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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: Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy

Minor: Racism, Rape, Violence, Suicide attempt, Pandemic/Epidemic

grimalkin7's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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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I may need botox after how much frowning I did! "Jesus Christ!" was also invoked quite frequently.

This book kept me engaged because of the constant plot twists and it  keept me guessing. Though odd, Sally became quite a loveable character and I thoroughly enjoyed her growth, but also her bluntness (my favourite quote being "Stop calling me a racist." "Stop being one."). It was heartwarming to see her friendships blossom and I was gutted reading how they all kind of fell apart at the end.

I was really rooting for Peter and was so disappointed when he turned out to be just like his dad, more or less. Hey, a kidnapper with morals is still a kidnapper!

The ending was a bit of a let down for me because I was optimistic it would be a happy one, but I suppose Liz didn't want it to be predictable.

With that said, this was one of the most captivating reads for me in a while. I could hardly put the book down because I just wanted to find out what happened next! Liz did a good job with those cliff hangers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Kidnapping

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting

cheryl_gager's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This book took me by surprise in more than one way. The synopsis does not hint at how dark the themes of this book are and when it is revealed at the start of part 2 (just under 100 pages in) it is shocking. I think the themes are tackled in a way that is easily digestible as there is a level of detachment from a lot of the most traumatic, disturbing moments (which were off page) didn't happen to the characters whose POVs we get. I loved Sally as a character, the growth she had and the inner turmoil she faced made her POV heartbreaking and heart warming all at once. I got frustrated with the side characters around her because they expected her to be understanding to things and others but it was not always reciprocated and she was never truly given the benefit of the doubt and treated like her choices mattered, especially if she made them on her own. The other POV was more heartbreaking. This is a story of how a negative cycle of behaviour can start (I am using negative but it is not even close to how dark somethings got) and how the cycle continues but I feel like there is hope at the end of the potential for these generational cycles to be broken.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent

Minor: Car accident, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic

This has a lot darker themes then the synopsis would suggest. You do read about a child being kidnapped and held in a looked room. You also can work out what is going on in the room where the 2 different women were held (one of which you meet after they have been there for 7 years already), and it does eventually being said / confirmed later in the book. However, you do not actually see what happens to these poor girls/women in this situation and you are reading about it from someone who never witnessed the worst of it. There is one racist character but they are confronted and challenged straight away and they face consequences which are so fitting. The book ends at the start of the 2020 pandemic so there is brief mention of it existing but no real detail about what it is or the effects. Mental health and trauma is also discussed and you do read transcripts from the first victim / person kidnapped, whilst in a psychiatric ward in the lead up before she commits suicide.

the_readingraven's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

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This is a 4.5 stars to me!

Wow, this book is very dark and full of trauma. It went a totally different way than I expected it to. I could not stop listening though, the themes of this book have a way of pulling you in. Plus, so much more is revealed than anticipated. I did take a little off the rating due to the ending. Maybe I was expecting something more elaborate or off-the-wall to happen. It just ended after so much "work" was done that it felt disappointing. It didn't have to be a happy ending, it just felt flat. Before reading this, please look at the triggers! 

tw: sexual assault, rape, child abuse, physical abuse, kidnapping, death, racism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse

Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping

Minor: Racism

honey_bee_reads's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad medium-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: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy