Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

162 reviews

maryne_'s review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Suicide

quartir's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Abortion, Death, Gaslighting, Child death, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Animal death, and Murder

cheyarsen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

This book wrenched my soul from my body. Everything hurts. This book isn’t for the faint of heart, but everyone should read it because the message is important. It’s a coming of age story about a girl who survives so much, told through the eyes of her younger self and her daughter’s writing. Please check the trigger warnings before going into this one, it’s a tough one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Bullying, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Child abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Drug use, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Sexual assault, Death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Classism, Animal cruelty, Murder, Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Racism, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts

mik_yekcuts's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

It has been a long time since a book has moved me like this. I was completely wrapped up in it. I cried many times, laughed, felt sick, felt enraged. I was never bored. A shocking but beautiful true story filled with trauma, heartbreak, cruelty, but also joy and hope and kindness. Masterfully written. I will be thinking about this for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Death, Abortion, Rape, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Incest, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia

This book contains very graphic incidents of child sexual abuse, incest, rape, and animal abuse.

hespib's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

Wow this was a beautiful book. After reading and loving A Little Life last year, I naively thought nothing could be more traumatic than that, but I was wrong. This was very graphic and hard to read in parts so definitely check the content warnings before going in. 

That said, the prose is so lyrically stunning and the story of family and coming of age brings plenty of beauty despite the many harrowing incidents. I loved the stories Landon tells and the meaning they have despite knowing they’re made up if only you choose to see beyond that. 

I love this book even more for being based on a true story. Immediately after finishing, I wanted to know more about the family and found a page on Tiffany McDaniel’s website including photos and further detail about Betty and the rest of the family, including that beyond the book (photos of Betty in 2020 🥹). I would really recommend reading that after the book as it brings the story to life even more and you appreciate how much of a feat this novel is, both for Tiffany to have written it about her own family and for her family to have lived through it and seemingly prospered on the other side despite significant adversity. 

Devastating but so beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Rape, and Incest

Moderate: Child death and Racism

jordyfrombookclub's review

challenging dark sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Child abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, Child death, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Blood, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Death, Animal cruelty, Torture, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

This book barely lets you come up for air. It ties you up with a thin chain of hope and beauty as it drags you rampant abuse and family trauma. Not for the faint of heart (me).

fraggle1982's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Rape, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Racism

xoxochannychan's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? No

4.0

This book was the darkest I've read in a very long time. I almost had to DNF it. A very difficult read for mature audiences only. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Animal death, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Grief, Murder, Racism, Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

pandaamy's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Racism, Abortion, and Sexual assault

Minor: Drug abuse

airr's review

adventurous challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Rape, Alcohol, Bullying, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death, Toxic relationship, Racism, Animal death, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Medical content, Gun violence, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage