Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Magma by Thora Hjörleifsdóttir

23 reviews

shit_she_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.0

“Magma” is the first book I’ve read written by an Icelandic author. The novella follows the course of an abusive relationship from the perspective of Lilja, a young woman who finds herself increasingly entangled in a web of toxicity. Hjörleifsdóttir dedicates “Magma” to “those who have spoken out” and aims at using her voice to raise awareness and empathy for women in abusive relationships and tries to explain why one cannot just end these relationships. I read “Magma” in one sitting and loved the writing—some chapters are only two sentences long and the entire novel is incredibly fast-paced and stream of consciousness like which works so well with the topic. I really appreciate how “Magma” follows the process of Lilja becoming more and more lost in this relationship and depicts how she tries to rationalize her partner’s behavior. It is not the story of how one can leave a toxic relationship, but how one becomes increasingly unable to break free. “Magma” is sad, tense, but oh so raw and honest and I really recommend it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

acrosstheskyinstars's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

1.0

 This book was basically the torture of a mentally ill woman in an abusive relationship. Trigger warnings for very graphic depictions of self-harm, suicide attempts, and sexual assault. I liked neither the stream-of-conscience style writing, nor the main character's frustrating refusal to do anything that would better her own circumstances. This book was definitely not my style. I don't think I can handle frustrating main characters. I spent the whole book begging her to make literally any other choices than the ones she did. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Rape

wasabiapple's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Self harm, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Rape

dizzzybrook's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

1.5

Another trauma-porny book that conveys this idea that

becoming pregnant/having a child will somehow fix everything bad in your life

I’d like my $10 and the last hour of my life back, thanks.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Physical abuse, Vomit, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault

iloveraccoons's review against another edition

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

hannahparadise's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Self harm, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Mental illness, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual assault

danielafin's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Violence

lavendar_fr0g's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-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

2.5

The writing is slightly off, stilled- likely due to translation. It’s an okay look at an abusive relationship, the slow degradation of boundaries and slow acceptance. The guy was bad news off the bat and Lilja is a bit of a jerk (doesn’t mean she deserves it obviously). Ending was a bit abrupt, didn’t resolve anything but it’s meant to make reader decide what happened for themselves. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Blood, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol, Homophobia, Vomit, Body shaming, and Sexism

lsmith36's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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

5.0

This book was like a freight train and felt very real to me in a way that made me uncomfortable but also seen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Drug use, and Pregnancy

lavenderzoey's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Rape and Mental illness