Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi

30 reviews

killmoore_'s review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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

5.0

I could not have loved this more. Truly terrifying, and at times completely gut wrenching. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Murder, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Religious bigotry, Torture, and Vomit

kirrarrik's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Confinement, Blood, Death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Gun violence, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Physical abuse, Murder, and Death of parent

purstiltski's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Very violent, with a lil philosophy on humanity and good and evil. I really enjoyed the writing and sometimes just stopped to appreciate a good sentence (whether actually pleasant... or visceral and gross). 

"His smile wavers, and for a moment he thinks the boy's face flickers, becomes indistinct, as if covered in gray mold. But then the face returns, and he's just a boy again. Or what was one."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Bullying

kkalicky94's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Murder, and Suicide

apersonfromflorida's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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 death, Child abuse, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Body horror, Animal death, Bullying, and Grief

Minor: Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement

bria_and_books's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Murder, Child abuse, and Violence

zenzi2read's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, and Torture

vynna's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

A very enthralling read about a group of child orphans trying to survive the gruesome onslaught of those under demonic possession. The brutality, the fear, and the dread was so palpable throughout and made this simultaneously difficult to read and put down. I think the author does a great job portraying the bleak lives of these characters (the conditions in the orphanage, the abuse from authority) as well as the evil that starts to transform their lives. The creepy smiles and shifting faces of those possessed was very unsettling (but great imagery) and the Lord of the Flies-esque conflict was tense. I think I would have liked to know more about the demons and why they possessed certain children over others (the characters even question it at one point), but it doesn’t really take away from my overall enjoyment. Good scary book that had me invested from start to finish!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child abuse, Child death, and Violence

kermit_the_wrong's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gore, Murder, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, and Torture

lbsalas's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Torture, Confinement, Animal death, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Murder, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail