Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi

57 reviews

jillaay_h's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Dementia, Fatphobia, Medical content, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Grief, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Dysphoria

k8k's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, and Sexual assault

sparklesandcupcakes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Dementia, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Bullying, and Fatphobia

Minor: Gaslighting

kerrence30's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

I enjoyed the dark and emotional relationship between the main character and her mother. It was horrific at times, far from ideal and you do feel genuinely sorry for her. At times an (acceptable) struggle to read. The balance between disliking her mother and acknowledging her responsibility of looking after her is portrayed so well. It really encapsulates how painful and stressful it is to look after a parent in need, but the added layer of their difficult relationship is what makes this such a worthwhile read. You feel every pang of hatred and betrayal.
I listened on audiobook, and although it was well read I did need to re-listen at times. I think this was more to do with the irregular pace and succinctness of the writing, I kept missing important elements among less important parts of the plot, otherwise would have been 4*.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Dementia, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, and Pregnancy

dafni's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Dementia

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Toxic relationship

Minor: Infidelity

liesbethvv's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I'm having a hard time rating this book. On the one hand, it took me quite some time to get into it, had a relatively slow start for me. There were no loveable characters to get attached to, but this made the reading experience more interesting and nuanced. I'm not convinced that the changed title (from 'Girl in White Cotton') was a good choice contentwise, although I agree it is more enticing. I don't really love

open endings, but it felt quite good in this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Vomit, and Violence

sha's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Incest, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Dementia, Emotional abuse, and Body shaming

spinesinaline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

4.25

Possibly the most shocking opening line after that beautiful cover, “I would be lying if I say my mother’s misery has never given me pleasure”. I knew this would not be a lighthearted read from that start but this was a very intense, visceral read.

Antara has an incredibly complicated relationship with her mother, who appears to be developing dementia. As Antara struggles to care for her, and get her family and medical team to believe her worsening condition, we flash through Antara and Tara’s past, often flitting through memories at random and out of order.

The author does an excellent job at disorienting the reader and each time I thought I had a read on the MC, she would reveal something new that would twist everything I thought I knew! It’s a tricky story, dark and emotional and a little sinister and I was absolutely hooked.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Dementia, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

sunnymushroom's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Classism, and Abortion

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Slavery

liviamello's review

dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Dementia

Moderate: Body shaming and Pregnancy