Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Supper Club by Lara Williams

26 reviews

filmnoirz's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.0

there’s so much to say here and i’m not entirely sure how to put it into words. the author really tries to bring home the ‘feminist’ aspect of the supper club but it falls really flat, and acts as though it’s saying something profound about weight when it’s not. parts of this story really shine and speak to the yearning women have to feel full, but for the most part it’s just kind of insulting and dare i say boring? an interesting premise but poorly executed in my opinion

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Self harm

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Fatphobia

Minor: Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

evasophias's review

dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Sexual harassment

ladynavalon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

Varias cosas sobre este libro:
1) sí, me ha gustado, es una lectura que me ha absorbido, pero eso no significa que sea un libro que me parezca buena o que recomendaría.
2) un libro no es feminista solo porque aparezcan mujeres haciendo cosas que normalmente no hacen las mujeres en los libros, en este caso, comer, drogarse y dañar la propiedad ajena. Mucho menos es feminista con las relaciones disfuncionales de las integrantes del club.
3) mención aparte merece la relación tóxica de Roberta con Stevie y con cualquier persona que la rodee, en realidad. 
4) lo del club es secundario, no acaba de explicarse, de entenderse, de tener un cometido. 
5) este libro va en realidad de Roberta, que tiene trauma pro el abandono de su padre y no sabe relacionarse con la gente, no sabe entablar relaciones ni expresar sus sentimientos, así que hace lo que mucha gente, acallar sus sentimientos con comida y desarrollar un tca. Se arrastra por relaciones con chicos que ni le gustan y ni la tratan bien, todo por castigarse por el sentido de culpabilidad que siente con su padre. Sigue obsesionada con su aspecto ficio y su quilos de más mientras sigue dándose atracones, eso es un TCA. Cambia de personalidad para encajar con quien sea, una amiga, una compañera de trabajo o un novio. Y en ningún momento recibe la atención psicológica que merece.
6) Stevie es despreciable, pero aún así la autora es incapaz de contar por qué todo el mundo la desprecia y por qué Roberta y ella se hacen amigas, la sensación es que nadie más las aguanta. Se enfadan sin razón, sin hablar y lo arreglan todos por qué si.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Infertility, Gore, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexism, Dysphoria, Bullying, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Cannibalism, Addiction, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Rape, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Drug use

angewilliamson's review

slow-paced

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

0.25

This books sucks. It sucks so bad that I hope no one ever attempts to read it. If you want to hate someone, Roberta is the perfect character because she has very little redeeming qualities, so little that I can’t even think of something nice to say about her right now. This book has random inserts of sexual thoughts that DO NOT fit in with the previous thought accompanying it. Seriously, Lara Williams must have thought of every negative stereotype that effects women and decided to reinforce them rather than diminish them. These women have so much potential to be utilized in this story and they just aren’t. It makes you wonder what their point even is, which probably just boils down to them being “diversity” points. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Transphobia

Please never read this book. I’m so serious.

culown's review against another edition

3.75

Loved the beginning but it git a little slow at the end. ADORED the recipes at the start of the chapters and the structure in general.
Ps. It gets pretty heavy during some passages so check the tws. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, and Toxic relationship

akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This is like dark academia with food. 

Honestly the food metaphors are incredible, the subtlety of the food reflecting the story arc is really cool. I loved Roberta, I loved her journey. I loved the imagery and I loved analysing this book. 

I wish we knew what she chose, but I think it’s fairly clear that she chooses Adnan. I also think Stevie is a total controlling bitch, but she has her moments.

I like the themes of nonconformity, of trying to be yourself. Overall this is a really easy read, and a really interesting one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Rape, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Injury/Injury detail

wild_er_ness's review

challenging emotional reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Eating disorder, Body shaming, and Sexual assault

rivalmancy's review against another edition

2.0

should've dnf'd

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Drug use and Eating disorder

Minor: Deadnaming

savvylit's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? Yes

3.5

Supper Club is a reflective and often very sad slice-of-life novel. University student Roberta is desperately lonely and preyed upon by men. Late twenties Roberta is doing a bit better but she still carries the insecurities that have haunted her since school.

Supper Club as a whole shines the brightest through its primary concept: the club itself. The sections where new members are introduced were some of the most interesting and empathetic portions of the whole book. And the club meetings themselves were quite entertaining! As many women know, there is still an abundance of gender norms that can be difficult to escape. Imagining the women of this novel doing so and being gluttonous & unrestrained was delightful.

Eventually, however, the titular Supper Club fades into the background when Roberta enters into a serious monogamous relationship. At this point, I lost interest a bit. I understand the inclusion of this relationship as an obstacle to Roberta's friendship with Stevie. However, that didn't make it any less frustrating to read. Too much time was wasted describing the (frankly lackluster) relationship. Not to mention that diverting from the emphasis on sisterhood and radical norm-busting was a mistake, in my opinion. Eventually, the ending redeemed this choice... but not really.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming

Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, and Misogyny

1414's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Self harm, and Rape

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Vomit

Minor: Fatphobia, Drug use, and Adult/minor relationship