Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh

9 reviews

al_davies_jones's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Vomit, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail

sarahkheeter's review

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I’m feeling really impacted by other people’s bad/unimpressed reviews. Initially I felt this book was unbearably slow, but it got better once the men show up (this is in the synopsis, so no spoilers). It definitely picks up and interested me much more after that point. The mystery around the characters and in the backdrop of the main plot is really interesting and dark. I’m not sure anything about this is inspiring, empowering, or even really insightful, but it’s certainly critical of patriarchal control and toxicity and shattering and has a lot of shock value. I think it had potential to be mind blowing and life alteringly good, but instead I would say it’s just dark, mysterious, and fascinating. Don’t read spoilers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Xenophobia, Death, Miscarriage, Violence, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Rape, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Incest

aubrey_rose's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Incest, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, and Death

dont_call_me_madison's review

mysterious reflective tense 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm and Toxic relationship

nabila99's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 my first thought as i read this was: i don’t understand why the average rating for this book is so low!

the water cure is a gorgeously written and atmospheric exploration of abuse, trauma, family dynamics, loneliness, and survival as women. we follow the lives of three sisters, mainly the elder two, in their isolated, cult-like family that has convinced them that men are mortal threats to them, and that their abusive “therapies” are the only way to remain strong and unaffected. except one day, when a trio of men arrive on their island, testing their resolve. 

this is not an easy book to read - the abuse detailed in it is graphic, and the pain, loneliness and stockholm syndrome of the sisters is very heavy. i’m not a big fan of the revelations or the ending, and i wouldn’t call this a “feminist dystopia”, but i was enthralled by this slow-paced, eerie, heartbreaking story.
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, and Drug use

Minor: Suicide

elizabethmcintosh's review

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

I found this book dull and cynical and kind of obvious. The writing was overly-flowery and imprecise. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Incest, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

dreabang's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts

caitlin1066's review

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

Okay, wow! So beautifully written and intense. It felt very confusing to begin with, but everything seemed to fall into place by the end. Definitely not a light-hearted read! There were extremely intense themes which were explained in such a way that I 100% see why they were added to the story. A tale of three sisters’ bond that is built on violence and abuse. Very metaphorical and poetic, what with the father figure being called King and the development of the male characters in the book. Some very harrowing scenes, some of the worst being Lia’s self harm and the ocean/baby scene. Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend if you like books that are mysterious and dark. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

jourdanicus's review

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Self harm

Minor: Incest