Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Southern Gothic - Das Grauen wohnt nebenan by Grady Hendrix

745 reviews

iswearimliterate's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

This book just felt kind of undercooked to me. Sure, the main plot doesn't have any flaws in theory, but the character's arcs fizzle out or are resolved too quickly, and some of the themes don't really hold up.

They bring up themes like Patricia prioritizing her own safety over communities of color, especially Ursula. But outside of some half-hearted apologies, Ursula ends up doing half of the work of taking out the vampire dude anyway.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

jenn_amanda's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Death of parent, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Addiction, Misogyny, Murder, Child death, Gore, Classism, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, and Suicide

cassneu's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

4.0

Very much enjoyed this one, just didn't like the time jumps. I feel as if it caused the plot to lose momentum but so glad the ladies came back together in the end. Poor Slick, she was one of my favorites. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

elpis_psyche's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Rape, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Toxic relationship, and Body horror

Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, and Forced institutionalization

mmelibertine's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This took a while to get going - about 11 chapters, for me - but then it picks up steam and never slows down. I was riveted. 

I appreciate the care shown to the intersections of marginalizations. It bluntly shows how white supremacy damages everyone to varying degrees, even those who uphold it, and how thoughtlessly it's upheld by those of us who benefit from it. It never punches down at the marginalized trying to survive under the bootheel of white supremacy, and it doesn't excuse or let off easily those acting within it, even the well intentioned or ignorant. 

And it's a damn fine horror story, too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Child death, Murder, Body horror, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Blood

jimbonator's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual assault

Minor: Antisemitism, Domestic abuse, and Violence

jules_farkas's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Domestic abuse

fiona_farrell's review against another edition

mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Gore, Rape, Death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Dementia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Animal death and Abortion

lilly_dav_reading's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Wild and full of triggers but well written, unique, fascinating. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Adult/minor relationship

kates_books's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This book is definitely horror. To be fair, it is clearly labeled as such, but I was still shocked by the graphic gore and terrible scenes. I maybe would have liked a trigger warning on the first page about the level of gore and rape scenes. Despite my struggle to read the horror, I really enjoyed the book. It was a compelling read that touched on feminism, class, racism, and community. I also loved the deep dive to the vampire genre - loved that the entry point and the research the book club did was reading vampire books. Also loved the setting in South Carolina - it felt like being in a true Southern home. 

I loved that Patricia got a divorce in the end! Her husband was so condescending and absent and didn't value her at all. When he said something about her having time to do something because she's just a housewife - my blood was boiling! The only part of the ending I didn't like was that Slick died from her rape injuries - so sad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Cannibalism, Death, Domestic abuse, Dementia, and Gore