Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

49 reviews

fleabag_reader95's review

challenging emotional 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? N/A

4.75

Please check trigger warnings before you read this book. I went in blind and it was an emotional rollercoaster and then some. 

The motifs of nature and culture were woven really beautifully throughout this story. Gut wrenching writing about racism, classism and what it is to be a girl/woman and the adversities and violence they face. A magnificent coming-of-age story with superb writing and character.

I have seen other people say that the book comes across as pretentious and unlike things a young girl would say. However, I would politely disagree with this. I feel that discredits the emotional intelligence and intellect that children can have, although they are young. The wisdom that Betty expresses throughout the novel perfectly mirrors the wisdom of which her father bestowed upon her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Incest, Racism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Classism and Death

lizziaha's review against another edition

sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Wow this one hurt. I relate a lot to Betty and her dad is the most lovely character. The writing was beautiful and I feel like McDaniels was able to take those heavy heavy topics and weave a tragically honest story around them. What I didn’t realize when I started the book was that this was a story about women and how the world beats down on us for all our lives. And how we all fight back in our own ways. The way that McDaniels dipped into that well of sadness again and again made this book an emotional read for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Suicide, Incest, Racism, Death of parent, Grief, Self harm, Child death, Lesbophobia, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Rape, Sexual violence, Homophobia, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Miscarriage, Murder, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Hate crime, Violence, Sexism, Blood, and Bullying

Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Gun violence, and Pregnancy

jazminrice's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Misogyny, Incest, Self harm, Child death, Abortion, Pedophilia, Death, Rape, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Suicide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Grief, Death of parent, and Bullying

floppyleaves's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Rape, Incest, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexism, Self harm, Grief, Animal cruelty, Racism, Violence, Blood, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Child death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Death of parent, Colonisation, Bullying, Animal death, and Abortion

Moderate: Gun violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, and Body shaming

helloitsjulz's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.75

This book was almost perfect, and I believe it will become a modern classic. I think it needed an editor in a few parts - the bible versus and the newspaper didn't work for me. I also felt that there were a few times where McDaniel qualified the absolute bombs she was dropping. Say it with your chest!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Drug use, Racism, Child abuse, Incest, Racial slurs, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Self harm, Blood, Drug abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

zaracampbell's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Possibly the most beautiful prose I have ever read. Easily in my top 3 books ever. 

Grappled with some very dark themes with authenticity and honesty. A testament to the raw and inherent strength of women, even more so in a time period that discredited their power.

I never wanted this book to end. It was one of those books where you want to highlight everything and commit it to memory so you never let the words leave you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Self harm, Racism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Grief, Physical abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Blood, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, Addiction, and Adult/minor relationship

molliundera_'s review

adventurous challenging emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Mental illness, and Self harm

Moderate: Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Suicide, and Violence

savvylit's review

dark emotional sad slow-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? It's complicated

2.0

What I liked: Betty's father, Landon. He was the most fully developed character and a uniquely beautiful example of fatherhood. It's not often that a father is portrayed so well in literature. Landon's patience and compassion for his children was truly wonderful to read about.

What I didn't like: everything else. This book is incredibly long and yet it is nothing more than a catalog of suffering. Trauma porn, if you will. There is very little plot or characterization that isn't directly connected to something traumatic or awful happening to Betty or one of her family members. Just when it seemed like a character was finally becoming more than two-dimensional, they often (spoilers!!) died instead.

Oddly, even though Betty is clearly the focus of this book that's named after her, she also remained an enigma with a sad lack of characterization. Her purpose in this novel ultimately just seemed to be to suffer and bear witness to the incredible trauma of the rest of her family.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, Animal death, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Racism, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Grief, and Child death

eaird's review

medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Child death, Murder, Miscarriage, Hate crime, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Racism, Racial slurs, Abortion, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Incest, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Classism, and Addiction

Moderate: Child abuse

pippamillerxoxo_'s review against another edition

emotional informative sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Grief, Child death, Hate crime, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Incest, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Blood, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment