Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Het weeshuis in de azuurblauwe zee by TJ Klune

193 reviews

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Fatphobia, Grief, Bullying, Confinement, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Forced institutionalization

whitllo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Physical abuse

dragon_lord's review against another edition

hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Child abuse

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, and Confinement

sofreadz's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring relaxing 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse

aexileigh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Hate crime

Moderate: Confinement and Physical abuse

lonely_tardigrade's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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 genuinely felt like a warm hug. it was the first book i’ve finished in probably a year or more. the vibes it gave off (not content) felt like the vibes of watching the owl house. a wholesome story with a bit of danger. and the characters are all so unique and lovable in their own ways.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia

Moderate: Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Child abuse, Violence, and Confinement

Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Abandonment, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder

funky_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny inspiring reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Bullying, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Hate crime, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

abbiechron's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad fast-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

Seriously cannot recommend this book enough. The audiobook added lots of quirky character building with different voices. There were many smiles, heartaches, and times where I just sat laughing literally out loud. Fantastic comfort book with an undertone of mystery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Murder, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Gaslighting

matchakauphy's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted reflective 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

3.0

TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, was a novel which I didn’t read much about before getting into and I’m glad that was the case. This novel is just best described as a heartwarming novel that feels like a big hug. It’s simple, predictable, and to the point, but it just hugs you with the familiarity it has to get you to enjoy it. It reminded me of the many novels I read as a kid but not limited to children and can be appreciated by all age groups. Personally, I found the story a bit slow in multiple portions of the novel but I was able to get through due to the warmth of the story. 

Coming to the novel itself, it’s about Linus, who is a case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, and is sent on a secret assignment to an orphanage on Marsyas Island to report on how it’s being run by Arthur Parnassus and how the six children living there are growing. Initially Linus is taken aback by the unorthodox methods at the island and reports accordingly, but as he spends more time with the children and Arthur, he loosens up and realizes not to be such a stickler and by the book. The book is largely about Linus’ journey in connecting with the children who are perceived as dangerous by the outside world including the DICOMY and ends with him rebelling against the DICOMY and finding love in Arthur. 

This is an age old tale and the storytelling method is pretty ordinary as well, which is why it felt slowed down and a little hard to get through at a few points. But the warmth of the novel keeps you hooked in and Klune’s writing is something that will attract those of all ages. 

The characters of the children are very intriguing, especially Lucy and Chaucney, and pairing this with the subplot of Arthur and Linus falling in love, a heartwarming novel shapes up. Arthur and Linus’ love story is hinted at early on and it feels organic, I’m glad the author used the fantasy genre to make being LGBTQ+ completely normal without turning any heads like it can do in current society and in some media. The children have no arc but along with Linus we get past the initial judgements he places and begin to connect with them, which really offers us insight into Linus’ character. 

Overall, this is a novel to read for when you are somewhat down and are just in need for a big hug, because that’s what this novel is. It’s simple and has no surprises in store for the reader, but warms the heart. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse

barefootbetsy's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

A lovely read. Likely relatable for anyone who has been treated as an “other” (it was for me, at least) and there are parallels in the real world for such “orphanages” — the group homes that disabled children are placed in are similar. Run mainly by non-disabled people, not understanding the needs of the children who live there… 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Genocide

Minor: Death of parent