Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

144 reviews

tateytots's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Incest, Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Murder

imchelsi's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Picked this up without reading the blurb because I thought the cover art was cute, and ended up with a doozy. The story was very gripping, and while I could pick out what could be happening, it still found ways to surprise me. A stomach churning horror with a satisfying ending. My only gripe is the sexualizing of many of the characters, which was light at the beginning,  but pretty heavy from the middle to the end. I can see how it aids the narrative but it is just not my cup of tea. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Moderate: Eating disorder, Murder, Cannibalism, Physical abuse, and Death

itsmaryhell's review against another edition

adventurous dark slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Eating disorder, Vomit, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gore, Misogyny, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Self harm, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Physical abuse

Minor: Abortion

wanderingmeek's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid

4/5⭐⭐⭐⭐

My eldest sister was right; I would smile blithely if someone tried to saw off my leg. But no one had ever told me that I was allowed to scream.

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Brilliant. Gruesome. Wild.

This story had me captivated from early on, because it was told in a beautifully mystical way. It had many gruesome twists and turns. Although, the imagery provided may not be suitable for every reader.. It was a story of how great and continual trauma can warp the mind. Developing into an exploration on how scary and difficult it can be to break the cycle of abuse that you have settled into to ensure survival.

While difficult to endure at times it was an enthralling read.

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Marlinchen is our main character and narrator. We are introduced to Oblya through her eyes and her experiences. Which, initially, are heavily influenced by her father. She grew up the youngest of three sisters and was quite young when her father transformed their mother into a bird and then killed her. This left the girls vulnerable to their father’s sick and uncaring mind during very impressionable years of their lives. Her father takes advantage of her eagerness to please and uses many forms of abuse to manipulate all three of his daughters into doing what he wants. The older two take many opportunities to rebel and take Marlinchen along on a forbidden outing that will change all of their lives.

This entire novel is watching Marlinchen evolve from the meek girl who is deeply entrenched under her father’s control into a young woman who tries her best to save them all.

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Trigger Warnings: Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Eating disorder, Blood, Body Horror, Cannibalism, Gore, Child Abuse

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Body horror, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Cannibalism, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse

insomniacsun's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Questo è il secondo libro che leggo di Ava Reid, essendo partita a leggere le sue opere dal debutto. A mani basse, questo è sicuramente il migliore dei due: l'ambientazione cupa e la tensione palpabile tipicamente gotica mi hanno immerso nel libro immediatamente.

Marlinchen è stata una protagonista che mi ha intrigato fin dalla prima pagina e il suo crescente rapporto con Sevas mi ha rincuorato: per quanto a volte risulti molto giovanile e ingenuo, riflette perfettamente la loro visuale di mondo che è sempre stato molto ristretto e sorvegliato.  Le loro esperienze non sono trattate con leggerezza e allo stesso tempo il loro peso non soffoca il resto della narrazione. 
Ho apprezzato il tumultuoso del rapporto tra le sorelle, tutte prigioniere dello stesso padre senza essere rappresentate come vittime uguali. Inizialmente, temevo che il loro legame rischiasse di essere banalizzato come tutto rosa e fiori; addentrandomi nel clue della storia è apparente che la prima persona dal punto di vista di Marlinchen mi ha accecato alla realtà dei fatti (sono sempre stata schiva con i libri in prima persona, ma protagonisti inaffidabili rendono l'esperienza molto più accattivante).

Dal punto di vista ritmico, anche stavolta la lettura della prima parte del libro è stata molto più dinamica e coinvolgente, seguita da una seconda parte più misteriosa e lenta, permettendo di unire vari pezzi del puzzle disseminati anche in precedenza. Detto questo, ho notato che alcuni passaggi lenti della seconda parte mi hanno fatto sentire come se l'autrice fosse confusa sul come procedere con la storia. Ho percepito la stessa cosa anche con il romanzo precedente.
Il finale era un po' sbrigativo e lacunoso, 

cosa ha fermato il padre dall'usare la sua magia per fuggire di prigione? All'inizio pensavo che fosse l'effetto della bacca, ma al processo la sua magia si è fatta sentire con l'acquazzone... non me lo spiego.

  ma mi ha fatto piacere vedere un finale semi-lieto dopo la valanga di orrori che i vari personaggi hanno passato. 

Stilisticamente invece, si nota come il linguaggio utilizzato dimostra l'innocenza con cui Marlinchen continua ad atteggiarsi, guidata per tutta la vita dalla sua raccolta di storie e dalle profezie del padre. Inoltre, l'autrice ha uno stile estremamente immersivo e fiabesco, fortificando l'impressione di addentrarsi in un mondo magico. 
Detto questo, take a shot per ogni volta che Ava Reid descrive il seno di Marlinchen (68 volte. Avvelenamento da alcol imminente). 

Tutto sommato è stata una lettura soddisfacente, soprattutto considerando le aspettative iniziali medio-basse dovute a "The wolf and the woodsman". Conoscendo i miei gusti, penso che avrei apprezzato di più la storia se ci fosse stato un focus maggiore sugli omicidi, ma comprendo perchè questo non ci sia stato. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Body horror, and Toxic relationship

taylortome's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

Beautiful gothic horror novel. The imagery that is conjured through metaphors is so well done. I have never annotated a book before, but this book had me wanted to pull out the tabs and highlighters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Murder, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Blood, Death, and Gore

Moderate: Body horror and Cannibalism

meat_muffin's review against another edition

challenging dark tense 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? Yes

2.75

Listen, this book was… weird. And not my usual style at all! I’m glad I read it, enjoyed the writing style, but it wrapped up leaving me more confused than anything else and not filling in all of the plot holes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Body horror, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fatphobia, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Murder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Vomit

Minor: Abortion, Addiction, and Alcohol

meghan's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Blood, Bullying, Pedophilia, and Eating disorder

anntharai's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Self harm, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Xenophobia, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Death, Sexism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Classism, Confinement, Eating disorder, and Medical trauma

buud_w0rm's review

adventurous dark inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This is a really enjoyable read like everything about it I enjoyed. They’re so right about the TWs tho cuz wowwwww

When I found myself wishing for the MC to have more back bone, I realized I was mirroring her sisters. I also struggled with my emotions and opinions being silenced and demeaned growing up. I empathized  alot for Marlinchen and her mouselike demeanor. Mostly because I grew up w a narcissist in the house as well. Thankfully he didn’t have magic or else, I might’ve been as hateful and angry and undine or conniving as Rose.  Growing up in such an oppressive household, being verbally, emotionally and physically abused constantly, everyone berating your looks and comparing you to your sisters. No one is kind to you so you’re the kindest 💔💔💔 Marlinchen DOES deserve happiness. I’m so so so happy she and Sevas left to start a life far far away.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Blood, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, and Gaslighting

This was definitely dark. It fits October. AGAIN CHECK TWS I BEG