Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

55 reviews

peytonr's review

emotional hopeful 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: Child abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

kedalrymple's review

lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

This was a delightful and easy read.  I couldn’t get over the Willy Wonka plot, and at times it felt like the author was just piling on trauma and grief for character backstories because there isn’t a lot to the plot. Even so it’s a gentle book that’s perfect for a beach or a rainy day. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Medical content

Minor: Miscarriage and Pedophilia

jashanac's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This was such a sweet, sad, uplifting, heart-warming book! 

I loved Lucy as a character and that first chapter with her and Christopher hanging out and talking got me teary-eyed right outta the gates. 

The only reason this isn't a solid total 5 star book for me is that there were a couple of things that I wish hadn't been as surface level as they were. I kind of understand why they were more surface level, but I still wish it had been different. 

The main focus of the book, however, was very well explored in my opinion. And that was the theme/message of childhood trauma and children simply needing to feel and be LOVED. To be provided with safety, consistency, healthy discipline, and loving attention. All of that was heart-breaking at times and then heart-warming all the other times. 

The things that I wish had been touched on a BIT more were just

the relationship with Sean that Lucy had. I didn't want to see the relationship, necessarily, but there were little hints at emotional manipulation and abuse there, that weren't really delved into much at all. I know thematic content wasn't the focus of the book so it's not that I wanted us to suddenly shift gears and have that be the focus, but just to get a slightly clearer picture of what went on there. I've been in an abusive relationship and as I said, I saw the hints... but there was nothing that really jumped out and spoke to me emotionally in all of that. And I just wish there had been. A line or two, ya know? And then Lucy and Angie's reunion... that was SO lovely, but it felt a bit quick that we got that one reunion, and then next thing we know, Angie is sick & about to die right about the same time that Lucy officially adopts Christopher. I just wish Angie had been around a bit longer... a year or something, to get some good memories between them.

 

All-in-all, a truly lovely story! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Medical content, and Abandonment

Minor: Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

sugarplumstories's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, and Pedophilia

sydoodle's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

This is one of my favorite books of all time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Abortion

mamawantsbooks's review

emotional inspiring lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Alcohol

alastaire's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, and Grief

Minor: Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

blewballoon's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

If you love the idea of a story where the kids who toured Willy Wonka's factory as kids get to return as adults, then this might be for you. Replace Willy Wonka's chocolate factory with a private island owned by a famous children's book author. Replace the character flaws and fantasy punishments with real, hopeful children who are seeking love and support in the face of genuine human struggles. Replace the physics defying candy factory locations with riddles, logic games, and self growth. If you're still on board for a story that is overtly about confronting trauma and learning to move forward through your fears, then I think you'll really like this.

I will admit that I did find some of the trauma aspects  to be hammered a little too hard, and the resolutions to be a little too quick and easy.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Death of parent

tcameron85's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Jack gives a bit of a Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder) impression but with the best of intentions for his "kids."

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

bringmybooks's review

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

tl;dr → as a middle grade novel, this would have been fantastic

B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗬𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗦 ✨

I loved the idea of this novel, I loved the characters, I loved the island setting, I …. liked the book okay enough. 

That being said, I truly don’t think it should have been marketed for adult readers. 

Hear me out! Every element that felt weaker could have been stayed exactly the way they were if the elements around the children and the original book series had been emphasized. (For example, a lot of the relationships and interactions between the adults seemed oversimplified in ways that I would have expected from books geared towards a younger audience.)

I think that the pure simplicity of loving books and how much magic books hold for us will make this book work for a lot of people, and there are parts that brought a huge smile to my face, but it just missed the mark a bit overall. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy