Reviews with content warning for Rape - Bastard Out of Carolina

Rating this book was hard because the text was difficult for me to read. I had to take long breaks and some days I could only venture to read 10-20 pages. But Allison crafts some of the most real characters ever constructed in literature in these pages. Allison tells the story of abuse in a visceral and unrelenting way—a way that causes you as a reader to flinch, to stutter, to fail to breathe, gasping. I read this in a dark time in my own life and I simultaneously regret this and appreciate the clarity this text gave me. It may be a new favorite book, though I’m not sure how one can return to it knowing what you know.

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devie123's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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izzye1500's review against another edition

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4.5

so vivid and so, so upsetting. my god what a story

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artthief's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I think putting this as a lgbt book is a mislabel. it’s not really a theme of the book at all. that being said this book was incredibly written and a total emotional gut punch. still, it’s an important one to read because allison covers such important and heavy subject matter so carefully and accurately. it’s not an easy read emotionally at all, but it is a damn good book

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