Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Penance by Eliza Clark

136 reviews

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.25

Dark, compelling narrative, which at times was difficult to read. Based on a story of 5 teenagers, 3 of whom torture and kill the 4th girl and the 5th girl falsely accused of being involved. It is also about the unreliable crocked narrator journalist who interviews those involved, researching the Internet, blogs, and fandoms writing about the murder, some of the writing factual, other parts a work of fiction. It was uncomfortable for me to read, which makes the rating very hard, as the book is so well written. It also made me consider the way in which things are reported, so I'm more likely to stick to fiction rather than glorified true crime reads.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, and Bullying

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Violence, Sexual assault, and Child abuse

krispomatic's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense 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

4.5

alright, i was shocked at how much i loved this. to put it bluntly, i loathed boy parts, but i wanted to give eliza clark a second chance — and i was pleasantly surprised.

this book had incredible worldbuilding and the characters were fleshed out, including the journalist. this is a novel about the exploitation of tragedy and the cruelty of teenage girls, and how often things can be blown out of proportion by pure hysteria.  i’m looking forward to clark’s next release.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Suicide, Homophobia, Ableism, and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Sexual assault

e11en's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Toxic friendship, Child death, Gun violence, Bullying, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Drug use, Incest, and Suicide

Minor: Fatphobia, Ableism, and Homophobia

isabelromero's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Very unique twist to horror/crime/ true-crime scene. Love the unreliable narrator. A lottttt of trigger warnings…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Body shaming, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Vomit

Moderate: Sexual assault

tallhousecookies's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Confinement, Murder, Torture, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Child death

Moderate: Suicide

catherinerowland's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, and Murder

Moderate: Torture, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

rilakkumas's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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: Rape, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Murder, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Bullying, Cursing, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Incest, Violence, Toxic friendship, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Death, Biphobia, and Blood

jen_prouvaire's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Torture, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Child death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Ableism, Alcohol, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Pandemic/Epidemic

enkiiii's review against another edition

dark tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this book is so good. very shrewd and nuanced commentary on the ethics of true crime. and an “emotionally truthful” (as per the story’s fictional writer Alec Z. Carelli) depiction of what it’s like to be a teenager, and how that formative and often traumatic experience gets trivialized by adults until, well, somebody gets murdered. it was a difficult though entertaining read. and there’s a fun bit of metafiction in the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, Violence, Child abuse, and Child death

Minor: Pedophilia

claudiarreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.25

Erm wow, this book was kind of gross??? 

Trigger warnings abound for violence involving children, abuse, torture, (minor)self harm content 

The characters were the most un likeable I have ever read about. 

But perhaps this attests to Eliza’s skill as a writer? Her research into fandom etc was incredibly nuanced and accurate. I’m still pondering if parts of this novel were necessary just because parts were so grim and vile. And aside from the few proof reading errors, I found myself needing to finish this book even if it was unenjoyable? 

I really enjoyed Eliza’s debut Boy Parts and Penance is that but on acid??? I will probably read what she writes in the future though. 

Anyway, unsure if I would recommend this novel. I found the premise a little odd / confusing. And perhaps reading at a bad time considering what’s in the news lately about child violence. 

Good luck if you read this I guess 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Torture, and Murder

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Self harm