Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Bliss Montage by Ling Ma

28 reviews

asolis's review against another edition

Some interesting ideas but too tedious. Stopped during the 4th story of 8.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Rape

dixiecarroll's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I found this to be brilliant, but I guarantee it’s a polarizing book. This was terrifying and emotional and felt ultimately like I was dreaming. Tense but non threatening dreams. (There are trigger warnings for DV in the first two stories so please take care before diving in). I finished this in 2.5 hours… ridiculously fast so it’s a quick and easy one to slip in there while still being completely stunning. A collection of 8 stories that seem to not be entirely based in our realm but at the same time they are absolutely on our planet - exactly like a dream. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Racism

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, and Toxic friendship

odrib's review against another edition

reflective fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Infidelity, Racism, Xenophobia, and Pregnancy

mondovertigo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Eating disorder

hngisreading's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Physical abuse, Racism, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Infidelity

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective medium-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

3.5

Los Angeles: 2.5
Oranges: 4
G: 2.5
Yeti Lovemaking: 3.5
Returning: 3.75
Office Hours: 4.25
Peking Duck: 4
Tomorrow: 3.25

Overall rating: 3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Alcohol

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

bliss montage is a great collection of stories, some either more unpredictable or reflective than others, but all subtly gripping in their own way.

the volume opens w/ a bang w/ "los angeles," perhaps the most delightfully eclectic short story ive ever read, so unconventional yet - by the end - thrilling it is. thru her stories, ma wrestles w/ coming of age, the immigrant experience, the self, and relationships. ma's pondering on the first one esp hits true, her incredible, precise articulation of the strange weightless void post-undergrad bleak, quiet, yet comforting in the knowledge that others share this experience. im also amazed by how the author's able to capture and vocalize the inner condition and struggles that exist merely under the surface.

a great sophomore effort thats even better than its already good predecessor, and one of the best - tho def most eclectic - short story collection ive ever read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Racism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, and Stalking

Minor: Terminal illness and Death of parent

savvylit's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

Ling Ma carefully crafts eight fully-realized mini universes within Bliss Montage. If you've read and enjoyed Ma's novel Severance, then you'll be delighted to find that her sharp observational satire is back in many of these stories. Yet again, Ma has excelled at blending reality and fantasy in order to pose questions about human motivation.

The most memorable stories in Bliss Montage are those that feature surreal elements. In Office Space, a young professor discovers a hidden realm inside a closet. In Tomorrow, a pregnant woman's baby grows partially outside her womb. In G, two friends take a drug that turns them invisible. In Yeti Lovemaking... Well, the title speaks for itself.

As a whole, Bliss Montage is a purely delightful journey into Ling Ma's brilliant characterization and world-building abilities. Now that I have read both this collection and Severance, Ma has firmly cemented her place in my mind as one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to see what she publishes next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship