Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Red Clocks by Leni Zumas

4 reviews

leah_alexandra's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

3.5

I will start with a big content warning because it was significant enough for me not to be stuck at the bottom. If you struggle reading about medical content, doctor visits, some procedures/if you have vaso Vagal like me and these are triggers, just be prepared for some significant scenes, especially at the beginning, which I was not prepared for. 

Parts of the book were well done but overall it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. We almost didn’t get enough time with any character to the degree it felt hard to connect, and when we did get time, everyone was just portrayed almost grotesquely. I found Susan’s story personally unbearable, and also thought it was unnecessary to use stand in titles instead of the women’s names when we learn their names quite quickly. The polar explorer stuff was interesting and well written but it felt like a different book to me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Medical content, Animal death, Body horror, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Addiction

202claire's review

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Cannibalism and Suicidal thoughts

bunnyreads2's review against another edition

informative 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

4.0

I listened to the audiobook but this version had music with it, which wasn’t bad but I’m not used to it and it felt a bit weird, distracting. 
I think I liked the story and characters overall but I struggled to get enthralled by it. Maybe things IRL got too close to this “what if” scenario for me to be like “wow imagine though!!”… I’d put this book in my TBR a few years ago, and it felt weird to get to it now. But still a good work overall. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Death, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

mckeelyshannon's review

hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

Favorite quote from this book - “ She knew—it was her job as a teacher of history to know—how many horrors are legitimated in public daylight, against the will of most people.”

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship