Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

37 reviews

___'s review against another edition

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.0

Meh, predictable. There's a multitude of very cliche elements here - a small town where everyone knows everyone, the scary homeless man covered in scars, the son of a prestigious man, parallel and seemingly unrelated stories/events that can't possibly be connected, et cetera. Also, this is not a thriller. It's just a mystery. 

There's nothing really wrong with the book (though, poor editing got quite distracting at one point). There just wasn't anything new, thrilling, or exciting being offered.

(...Is the protagonist being a true crime podcaster a trigger warning yet?)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Bullying, Death, Murder, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Physical abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, and Drug abuse

lost_poetx's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Obviously this book has TW for SA, that isn’t a spoiler. I think that Megan Goldin handled the cases of two women that were violently assaulted and forever changed with a candid honesty that didn’t require overtly graphic descriptions—and that takes real talent. As a reader, I felt every emotion through this whole book that I expected to feel but I didn’t have to put it down and cope with unnecessary physical descriptions or accounts. I understand the privilege it is to read about this with a level of detachment when some people have this as their reality. If you can read about this without damaging your mental health, I would absolutely recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Domestic abuse

vj_thompson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A thought provoking story that depicts why sexual assault cases next see the light of a court room. The process is time consuming, lawyers can brutal, and it may do more harm than good. 

Megan Goldin is an auto-buy author. The first book I read by her was Stay Awake. She does an amazing job at character building and touching on subjects matters like sexual assaults or mental health conditions. These topics are normalized in Megan’s stories. I found myself both times rooting for the main characters, and the side characters, wishing them all a happy and successful outcome.

I am looking forward to reading the sequel, and I hope our main character Rachel continues to fight the good fight.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Grief, Bullying, Violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Alcohol, and Murder

Moderate: Car accident, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Stalking, and Gun violence

haleysversion's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• 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: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Child death, Blood, Mental illness, Sexual content, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Rape, Suicide, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

the_pink_pharmacist's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Child abuse

vldestefano's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

rendermespeechless's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

I like the idea of a pod cast from the speaker's perspective. The Podcaster, Rachel, covers a trial on a teenage rape case. A note appears on her car while she's traveling down to cover the trial. The note speaks of a case that happened decades ago that went unsolved in her sister's death. 

There is no character growth. But, the book is essentially about two different cases in two different timelines. This case be confusing, but I learned pretty quick to read the chapter header (Rachel or Hannah). 

I already have the second book, Dark Corners. I will eventually read that. But, this isn't my favorite line of writing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Sexual harassment

cassielaj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

I cannot give this book a star rating. While the writing was good and the mystery compelling, this was a really challenging book to read, and it deserves more nuance than a 1-5 rating. This story is heavy. It is graphically detailed at times. It is tragic and disheartening and just the tiniest bit hopeful. And I honestly think it’s important. This book treats rape and sexual assault victims and trials in a way I haven’t seen enough in popular media, especially in the thriller genre, which often sensationalizes tragedy. It explores the challenges and injustices of the justice system when it comes to trying a sexual assault case. It explores class differences and politics in a small town and shows how power can be abused. It explores the guilt that can come with doing nothing to help someone in a time of need, and it explores redemption from the horrors of the past. I want to recommend it because it’s a good book, but I don’t want to because it was heavy. If you choose to read this, go in with as much information as you can, and be kind to yourself while you read it. 

From a thriller perspective, I did find it a bit predictable, but overall I thought the mystery was well paced. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Car accident, Grief, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicide, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Xenophobia

Detailed descriptions of a trial process. Graphic and disturbing details of manipulation, sexual assault, bullying, and more.

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

The Details:
Narrated by Bailey Carr, January LaVoy, Samantha Desz
Unabridged 

One of my late netgalley arcs, I decided to listen to via my library app.

This was riveting and harrowing read following a dual sexual assault case, one in the present day and one set in the mystery of a cover up that happened some years before. 

We follow a podcast presenter investigating both cases and it was interesting to see the perspective of varying characters of what, to me, is an obviously awful crime.

The acts done to the body was so graphic and really hard to read, so please bear that in mind.

Overall, I'm glad to have finally read this, but it was a heavy, difficult read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Car accident, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, Stalking, Torture, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

leebeeloves's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Bullying, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Stalking, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Vomit and Gun violence