Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Never Mind by Edward St Aubyn

10 reviews

amylloyd's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

It was exactly what I expected it to be, but often much more. I admire the way Aubyn brought these characters to life, be it in the most deplorable of ways. It’s consistently challenging and sometimes in stasis. However, I saw this as creating room for much more in the following novels in the series. There is undeniable potential. I must check out ‘Bad News’ to know what direction it all goes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Drug use, Incest, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Addiction

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism

Minor: Animal cruelty and Ableism

yasmin_raev's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Child abuse

Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, and Rape

anastlesia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Incest, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcoholism

frasersimons's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

All of these people are varying degrees of bad. From slightly narcissistic to irredeemable and vile. However, the strange, almost Pushing Daisies-esk quality to the narration. Spinning a yarn, but it’s biting and unwilling to let the characters off the hook. Which is good, considering what happens to Patrick Melrose in this book at the age of 5. 

It won’t be for everyone. It’s traumatic, and looks to be teeing up Patrick’s future in a way that probably examines the trauma cycle. This is particular to my interests and the voice and prose is really well done, so it was for me, but I can see why probably most people wouldn’t be interested in it. I think it will only be more interesting when it moved past his childhood. We’ll see what happens. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

ilereads's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

3.25

Prima di iniziare questa saga sappiate che state per leggere la vita di personaggi odiosi e fastidiosi oltre misura, scritti con uno stile crudo e ironico e con trigger warnings giganteschi. Questo primo volume conta solo 150 pagine quindi non saprei davvero che valutazione dare, sembra più un racconto breve senza un vero finale. So solo che mi ha fatto venire voglia di proseguire subito. Consiglio anche la miniserie Patrick Melrose che e un ottimo adattamento.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape

thebristolreader's review

dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Racial slurs, and Rape

eltsuu's review

dark emotional sad fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, and Rape

n_t_sh_'s review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-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

3.75

David Melrose is a sadist character comparable to Nurse Ratchet.
Staged over one day, this is a multi-layered character exploration that is interesting but with no likeable character, I find it hard to connect.
Along with the sadistic, dark undercurrent it has a biting, dry sense of humour. It causes a bark of laughter but it's a laugh tinged with bitterness and not enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction

gorgeousgirl's review

dark fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

oatcappuccino's review

dark funny sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Apparently I really enjoy cynical narrators. This reminds me a lot of Waugh's early work (i.e. Decline and Fall) which is a compliment, but the author also has major reactionary vibes so I am a little wary of whatever racism/homophobia/etc. I may encounter in continuing the series. We shall see. This is around a 3.5 because I feel it lost its pacing/direction towards the end but was still enjoyable, and handled its short length very well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Incest, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Antisemitism and Ableism

CSA/rape, specifically:

A five year old is raped by his father. We get this scene from his perspective, and then later his father's perspective reflecting on what he did. There's also extensive discussion of him raping other women in the story