Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

We the Animals by Justin Torres

18 reviews

librarymouse's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad

• 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

5.0

This book pulls at the threads of humanity, fraying the fabric until it's distilled to its purest parts. The narrator shows the core memories of childhood, building up into the moment of the fracturing of his family unit and the unit that was made up of his brothers. Their childlike, experimenting, queered, and crushed mother makes such a complex character, as does their father and the juxtaposition of his tenderness and machismo. This book is truly unsettling and full of life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Outing, Sexism, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, and Incest

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

bay22's review against another edition

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Sexual content, Child abuse, Cursing, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment, Racism, Grief, Hate crime, Blood, Body shaming, and Forced institutionalization

Near drowning CW. Dental medical injury CW.

parasolcrafter's review

dark emotional sad slow-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

2.0

i get that this book is semi-autobiographical so i dont want to be disrespectful about the content but i wish i would have known how this would have gone before i read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, and Pedophilia

bigraymond's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Outing, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Sexism, and Misogyny

upward_not_northward's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

3.75

A sad coming-of-age story with an even sadder ending. The author has a wonderful writing style that captures the naivety of childish thinking. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Minor: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Misogyny, Outing, and Sexual content

tilo's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The writing style is beautiful in a way that is almost haunting. However, unfortunately, the story tried to build up to something that never really came and what was presented in the last chapters came out of left field so that I feel like it did not do justice to the important topic. The last chapters, therefore, ignored all other points that were brought up just to start something else last minute.
The book was said to be about three brothers "tightly bound and fiercely loyal to one another" which made me want to read it. Yet, despite few instances, most of the book was about the brothers differences, them bullying each other, and their bound consisted of them living in the same toxic household while doing the bare minimum to support each other.
A lot of interesting plotlines were hinted at, none of them explored. Those hints hooked me and made me want to finish it. I wanted to learn more about the characters, although they felt stereotypical, so I feel like a longer version of this book that took the time to explore the individual paths of the brothers (especially the oldest whom I expected to play a bigger role with the constant hints at his ideals and plans) would have really used the potential of this story. Alternatively, considering the powerful writing style, I feel like this could have been written in poems, catching the essence and rawness while only allowing glimpses that do not ask for further exploration.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Outing, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Sexual content and Sexual violence

armontheroad's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad fast-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

5.0

WE THE ANIMALS is a semi-autobiographical debut written in vignettes. We follow a young Puerto Rican boy witnessing his family struggle through domestic abuse, alcoholism, financial hindrance, amongst other things. It is a raw, powerful study of humanity that packs a mighty punch in 128 pages. I highly implore you to view the list of trigger warnings I included, along with doing some additional research for any I may have forgotten. 

TW/CWs: Child abuse, domestic abuse, homophobia, child abandonment/neglect, sexual assault, rape, violence, adult/minor relationship, sexual content, forced institutionalization, conversion therapy, self-harm, ableism, alcohol use/abuse, misogyny, sexism, suicidal ideations etc.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Self harm, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Bullying, Blood, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

imiji's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.25

this was a really hard beautiful complicated devastating book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Violence, and Sexual assault