Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda

41 reviews

meika_one's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is very atmospheric and literary.  It explores the emotional substrate of how people process fear and terror.  There aren't any supernatural elements, so it read as psychological thriller to me.  Similar to Apt Pupil, but more cosmic.  It skates on the blade edge of innocence.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

seawarrior's review

dark tense

5.0

Endlessly disturbing and breathtakingly creative, Jawbone is a story of adolescent daring and purity that descends into violence. Ojeda's use of language, bodily disgust, and topical pop culture references create a story that is unique to the point of mythological. The horror draws the reader in and then clamps down its teeth, culminating in an ending soaked in madness and terror. One of the greatest horror stories I've ever read, and not recommended for the faint of heart.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Death of parent, Outing, and Sexual harassment

gia0203's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

3.75

I need time to process this one. Dark reflection on womanhood and adolescence. The writing style was unique - perhaps not a style I prefer, but it was interesting, and  I appreciated it. Fascinating motifs and metaphors. Very Freudian. The relationship between the protagonists was the most interesting part. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, and Alcohol

rebeccafarren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

caracabe's review

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Fatphobia, and Lesbophobia

entre_fanon_y_weil's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

hi_im_tate's review

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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

3.75

I loved the formatting of this book. The few reviews I skimmed over didn't mention it. There are chapters that are like regular chapter books, full of text, and then there are chapters that are formatted more like interviews. The chapters, also, jump between characters and past and present. If that isn't something you like, I suggest not reading this book. There were times were it was hard to read because it felt like the sentences just went on and on and on with several words that confused me and were hard to pronounce.

Now, onto the contents of this book. I can see why people call this book "gross". It does explore some intense kinks (biting, blood, guns) with minors, but I thought it was done in a good way when they were CONSENSUAL! Reading about minors doing some of these things did gross me out, but I also have to remember that this stuff in real life already. That was another this that made me enjoy this book. The things that happened in this book have happened and will happen in real life. It makes it much more harder to swallow. Looking at the relationships between the girls reminded me of my relationships with friends growing up (though, not as intense). Having a friendship with a group like this, where two are deemed the "leaders" and one an "outcast" really describes adolescent female friendships well in my experience. Growing up with one person all your life makes the two of you merge together in a way you wouldn't have thought possible before. 

The descent into psychosis felt real to me, even though I have never experienced it. The repetitive movements, the noticing small details, and the panic that is ever encompassing a person made ME feel like I was in her shoes. I could hold empathy for her because of what had happened to her and how she "learned" to deal with it.

The dealing of the religious trauma was probably my favorite part. Denying your sexuality, forming something you can actually believe in, questioning everything you've learned about the religion you were raised as. It definitely sheds light on how religion can fuck someone up.

The imagery from this book was wonderfully grotesque. It was a book I didn't want to put down; not necessarily because it was so good, but because I wanted the answers hidden in the pages. And I still don't feel satisfied with what I got 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship

paperknotbooks's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Cerebral and jarring. I believe to be the best cult themed book I’ve consumed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Eating disorder, and Excrement

rook13's review

dark tense 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

4.25

Without a doubt the WEIRDEST book I've ever read. Jawbone is disgusting, creepy, enticing, unique, horrifying, and thought-provoking. It made my stomach clench up in fear and disgust at different points but Ojedas unique style made me keep reading even when I wanted to stop. This book explores motherhood and daughterhood, religious trauma, and the intimacy and violence of female friendships.

Rated it 4 only bc the sexual aspect of the horror was sometimes a bit much (and with that in mind--tw for anyone for whom that may be an issue, including tw for sexual assault described rather graphically if not explicitly).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Incest, Sexual assault, and Murder

Minor: Rape, Excrement, and Vomit

matigiuro's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, and Toxic friendship