Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi

35 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

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Content Warnings

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

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

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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*.

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Content Warnings

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

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

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

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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

abswoods's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Body shaming, and Dementia

Minor: Colonisation

grace_cr1's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Mental illness, Alcohol, Blood, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Cursing, and Dementia

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Dementia

Moderate: Body shaming and Pregnancy

sophsg88's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Body horror, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

laurataylor's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body shaming, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

5aru's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

A strong, raw exploration of motherhood and trauma through Antara's troubled eyes. Even though the book is very specifically focused on her individual struggle with her past and her complex, toxic relationship with her mother, there is much about her experience that is universal. The description of those feelings - of insufficiency, of stagnation, of bottled anger and unmet needs, of desperation and entrapment - is really what makes this novel, and drives it directly to the heart.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Pregnancy

Moderate: Vomit, Excrement, Dysphoria, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Body shaming