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rach_reads_books's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Gun violence
beiiadonna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Child abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, Violence, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, Blood, Racial slurs, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, Death, and Gun violence
Minor: Addiction and Abortion
smarzipan's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Gun violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Incest, Racism, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault
alexandra_kat's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Incest, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
wordsofclover's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
“And what is love? I human, I have feelings. I with the man. Of course I love him. Yet, the way he love me does make me hate myself.”
This book tells the story of Alethea, an almost 40-year-old woman living in Trinidad and daily having to hide the marks her common law husband gives her every night. As we get to know Alethea - her intelligence, her independence and her childhood, the reader begins to understand the reasons why Alethea 'allows' herself to be trapped inside an abusive relationship. But when a woman is shot dead by a man in a 'domestic incident' outside the shop she works in, Allie can't help but see herself in the victim, and the potential of something just as deadly happening to her.
This book is addictive as you grasp onto Allie's story and all the hardships she's dealt with in life and you just root for her to stand up for herself and somehow get away from Leo and make things better for herself. It was lovely seeing Allie reconnect with her cousin/brother Colin, and her childhood friend Jankie and I enjoyed the emphasis on female friendship and support and kindness from others.
There are some really hard moments in this book - not only the constant abuse and fear Allie feels around Leo but also as we learn from her childhood, the sexual abuse she received from her uncle from the age of 5, as well as the daily physical and emotional abuse of her mother. And from there, the stream of men Allie found herself with that treated her the same, so she really knows nothing but abusive relationships and men who will put her down - physically and emotionally.
There were some interesting topics in this book as well around race and colourism. Allie is a white woman though we soon learn her grandmother was a Black woman - and Colin is a Black man. Allie details ways in which she has noticed she has been treated differently to Colin due to their skin tones.
Really enjoyed this though as I've said it was a hard read at times. Allie's story is tough, educational yet inspiring.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Miscarriage and Infertility
rachel_bunting93's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Hate crime, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Violence, Racism, Murder, Grief, and Death of parent
anmolu's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
addy_books's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Incest, and Murder
Moderate: Racism
miiyyaa's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Sexual assault
dramagirl2003's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Incest
Minor: Death, Gun violence, Racism, and Vomit
I count sexual content as consentual sex