Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

766 reviews

bdaigneault's review against another edition

dark fast-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

1.0

Train of thought writing style with no quotations. Not for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence

heresyourletter's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

2.5

I liked the pacing of the book and had a hard time putting it down. That being said, the writing style wasn’t my favourite. There were also a lot of political views that were thrown in for no reason (not related to plot or character development), in a holier-than-thou, preaching sort of way (which even as a progressive, can be annoying).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual content, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Addiction, and Bullying

Minor: Vomit, Abortion, Infidelity, and Suicide

Characters smoke cigarettes throughout the book. The two main characters have sex frequently (but the descriptions aren’t super graphic). Throughout the book, the main characters hurt each other emotionally by making big decisions that affect their relationship, without communicating with the other person. Both main character experience bullying at different points in the book. Class conflict throughout the book, as one main character is wealthy and the other is working class. One character argues that a woman (who doesn’t actually appear in the story) should have an abortion because she doesn’t have a job and isn’t in a relationship with the father. One character drinks until they vomit.

When the two main characters first get together, one is embarrassed to be seen in public with the other, so they keep their relationship a secret. One main character is verbally (and occasionally physically) abused by their family, then gaslighted by their family members whenever the abuse happens. This culminates in the main character’s nose being broken after trying to escape from a family member. The scene is intense and the injury is rather graphic. One main character experiences rural discrimination upon moving from a small town in Sligo to Dublin for university. The female main character is a masochist, getting into relationships with men who physically and emotionally abuse her. One main character is diagnosed with depression and put on medication. One main character is mugged. There is a brief description of the injury. Two characters share a bed and almost have sex, despite being in relationships with other people. One minor character dies by suicide.

notsosingle's review against another edition

The characters aren’t lovable. Their individual stories get more deviant and not relatable. Wasn’t invested in either of their lives. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence

lugalante's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

The kind of dialogue that makes you think a bit and feel a bit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness

jlblumenfeld's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts

meenalgarg's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

morgansiena's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

this book made me feel so many things and think so many things. i genuinely think it has changed me as a person. Connell and Marianne are two deeply flawed characters yet in nearly every aspect of their lives i find a reflection of mine. if the ending hadn’t ended the way it did it would make the book feel unfinished, yet it still is unfinished. they have so much of their lives ahead of them, but their story in the novel had ended. i absolutely need another 17 million sequels to their story, but they will not come and i understand why. Connell and Marianne kept making the same choices and expecting. different outcome and i don’t know if anything else would have transpired if there was more to their story. five stars. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Blood, Alcohol, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

mariabacterium's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Classism, Alcohol, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death, and Suicide

eriin_reed's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

2.5

I suppose it was an easy read, I read it at the airport and during my flight and finished it right as my flight was wrapping up. However, I was under the impression that this was a widely loved book and... I am not exactly sure how that is true. I suppose if reading books

about women who keep ending up in abusive relationships

is your cup of tea, then sure, this might be a good book for you. I, however, don't appreciate the this kind of story trope, so I probably would not read this book again, and I probably actually would not recommend it to anyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Death

luluellis33's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness