Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan

45 reviews

teainthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Religious bigotry

horourke's review

challenging dark emotional informative

3.5

Devastating portrait of late-20th-century Ireland that details the complex gender norms of the time. Reflections on the Catholic church’s power, Magdalen laundries, and the culture of silence that enabled them for centuries. While great as it is, I do wish it was a bit longer. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Confinement, and Physical abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

annagerman's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was.... OK.
There were definetly a few moments that stood out to me in this tenderness and insightfulness. And the eriting was precise and beautiful. But I found the story overall too be a little too somple and underwhelming. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent

fboschetti's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Child death

shoffschwelle's review

dark hopeful informative slow-paced

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

4.0

A heartbreaking but beautiful historical fiction book bringing to light the women and children who suffered time in Ireland's Magdalen laundries that were supposedly focused on reforming "fallen young women" but actually horribly abused them and were sanctioned by the Catholic Church for most of the 20th century. The book reveals the situation through the eyes of Bill Furlong, a man who has done well for himself and his family, but his mother could easily have had to go to the Magdalen Laundries if not for her employer who kept her on and helped to foster Bill. It's not a rousing cry to dismantle the system, but reflect on how little changes can make a difference like it did for him.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Classism

kettrickensmiled's review against another edition

sad slow-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? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Religious bigotry

Looking at the Magdalene Laundries from a male perspective, the reader is supposed to feel sorry for this man who just has a passing knowledge of the laundries, everyone turns a blind eye, he questions it slightly and meanwhile the women and girls who suffered are giving a passing mention. As a Novella it can’t go too deep into a topic but it left a bad taste in my mouth all the same. Others loved it so each to their own

carolinalopezwatt's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

chloleighton's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Cancer and Excrement

Minor: Vomit

olivesolivesolivess23's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

Wow, wow, wow. An absolutely stunning book. I read this is one sitting. Such an incredibly moving and exquisite read - breathtakingly good.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse

its_muireann's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, and Physical abuse