Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval

14 reviews

lwilson43's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

What an odd little read... Hval takes this deceptively simple story about one woman's sexual awakening and creates an environment out of it, complete with all the nuances and complexities that come with it. But when the fungus takes hold, sometimes it can be a bitch and a half to tear it out, almost like it was tearing myself away from Hval's words! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

getglitchd's review

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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

5.0

Profoundly unsettling. Not as gross as some people make it out to be, but not something to read at lunch.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Cannibalism and Lesbophobia

byrdies's review

dark reflective fast-paced

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

2.5

The author undoubtably has a piss kink. No plot, just vibes. And an inordinate amount of piss

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cannibalism

biobeetle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Gore

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Misogyny and Homophobia

ashlynregan's review

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

3.0

This book is a short read akin to if Richard Papen lived in the artist’s warehouse in The Secret History for the whole novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Alcohol, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexism, Alcoholism, Excrement, Vomit, and Mental illness

freckled_frog_boi's review

4.0

What a disgusting, filthy little book. I want a hard copy.
urine count: 9

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

i_read_books_sometimes's review

challenging dark inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

As close as a book can be to perfect! 

- Breathtaking, lurid prose unlike anything I've ever read before
- Really interesting (and less problematic) portrayal of literary madness
-  Balances disgust and awe -- horrible scenes are described in an absolutely beautiful way
- Manages to have ambiguity without being frustrating
- Tolerable levels of piss

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual violence

Minor: Lesbophobia

triciajk's review

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Sexual content, Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Abandonment

Minor: Cursing

theweepingwillow_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

5.0

Very easy five stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Excrement, Sexual content, and Misogyny

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Xenophobia, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

savvylit's review

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

This novella is absolutely ripe with lush, sensory imagery. Hval describes sounds in particular in a visceral way that is unlike any other author I have ever read. Carral and Jo's relationship develops into one big, queer fever dream. Their interactions were so sensual yet bizarre that I often wondered whether Carral actually existed. In fact, Jo herself questions the reality of her own experiences to the point where her narration becomes entirely unreliable. I truly don't know what really happened in this book and I'm fine with that. This whole novella would have been a five star read for me except for the excessive descriptions of urination, which I found jarring.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Body horror

Moderate: Sexual assault