Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel

32 reviews

ellyra's review against another edition

DNF 50 pages in.

I loved the author two other books but this one is a massive no for me.

I loved the writing style in the other books but I found it very unpleasant in this one : the author tried to much to be creative or original and the result is a barely coherent prose.

Also if the author's other books had a nice balance of beautiful writings and tough topics, a sort of balance between light and dark, this one was all misery and the worst of humanity. The first 50 pages alone have drugs, child neglect, prostitution, child abuse, pedophilia... YEP nope !

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Drug use

estellegodard's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

the writing style in this book was far too lyrical and poetic for my taste. I found the metaphorical language unrealistic and cringey and it consistently took me out of the story. thus, reading it wasn’t very enjoyable and I was disappointed. the story overall was quite good, though I felt like I never got to know the characters very well due to how repetitive it was. I also found that I lacked the emotional connection with the peripheral characters, so the deaths never felt very impactful. I think this book would have benefited from being shorter and more concise. I thought the last 50 pages were very strong and there were certain standout passages throughout. I also really enjoyed the perspective of the river in the early parts of the book as well as the inclusions of drawings. I thought these were unique additions that broke up the monotonous pace. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Rape

lisaadam's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Violence, Drug abuse, Child death, Rape, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Blood, Drug use, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Murder

ruby_mae_read's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, Sexual assault, Rape, and Murder

bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I found ON THE SAVAGE SIDE difficult to read, so unflinching in its depiction of poverty and addiction that I read with a clenched stomach, gripped in empathetic pain. But without this level of violence and trauma, this book would be lying to itself, and for that reason, I consider it a winner.

The novel only fell apart for me (and only slightly!) in the repetition of its lyricism. Sometimes I felt like McDaniel was being intentionally opaque, and while it was always beautiful, I occasionally lost interest. But that is just one picky complaint of an otherwise stirring novel. I'm glad I read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Pedophilia, Death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Car accident, Drug abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Child death, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Addiction, Terminal illness, and Violence

fredrikamarias's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Addiction, Pedophilia, Drug use, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Grief, Gore, and Mental illness

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, and Sexism

glitteringeyes418's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Child death, Pedophilia, Drug use, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Murder

lizzidown's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, and Pedophilia

frmeden's review against another edition

challenging 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Rape, Death of parent, and Violence

Moderate: Child death

ember_is_gay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

this was hauntingly beautiful and i want to read it all over again. i am stunned and i don’t think i have the words to describe how i feel about this book. i think this is genuinely one of the best books i have read in a while.

the last few chapters had me so thrown and i just was not expecting that twist. and i was so hopeful for the end, i was so hopeful for arc getting out. but i know that’s not what life is like, i was just wishing and hoping it would be different for her, but of course it couldn’t be.

to all the lost women, i will remember you and think of you often. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Trafficking, Violence, Sexual assault, Blood, Rape, Child death, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Torture, Addiction, Animal death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Death, Miscarriage, and Murder