Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

43 reviews

sare1125's review

emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Child death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Confinement, and Cursing

Moderate: Abandonment, Rape, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Vomit

kiwichill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Character flaws caused by a chaotic upbringing in the foster care system.   The scenarios in this book may seem to be far-fetched but unfortunately they are not.  The whole system needs an overhaul because there are far too many kids with psychological damage from the foster care system 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Death, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Pregnancy, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Sexism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Cursing, Alcohol, and Body shaming

meghan_w's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow. This one was a hard read. I typically DNF books with references to child abuse or death, but I felt connected to this one in a different way. Hepworth does a very good job approaching the topic delicately and also straightforward without graphic detail which I really appreciated. I wasn’t totally sure how I felt after finishing. The book was addicting, well written, satisfying plot, but saying I enjoyed a book with these themes is hard for me. What got me in the end was actually the acknowledgments after the book finishes. Hepworth talks about her research speaking to foster children, parents, etc. She speaks of the importance of remembering that for all the evil in the world, there is also good. She speaks to the importance of chosen family, which I speak about often as well. It’s because of this, that I am choosing to rate this 5 stars even with the darker themes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Drug use, Torture, and Child death

ashgross01's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.25

Very dark. Not the best pick for me with young children- especially the ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Domestic abuse

lryoung's review

dark medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, and Physical abuse

Minor: Suicide attempt and Vomit

princessblueyes's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Bullying, Mental illness, Death, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Drug abuse, Child death, Addiction, and Alcohol

cmvilleneuve's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

TW: abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, foster care 

Holy. Sh!t. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Part of the twist I did figure out about half way through but my jaw is still on the floor from that ending. 🤯🤯🤯🤯

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Kidnapping

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a gifted copy of this audiobook to review. 

 

The story follows the lives of three sisters, flashing through time as they reflect on their experiences in foster care and how it has impacted their lives today.  

 

If you’re thinking this will follow the structure of a thriller or classic murder mystery, put those expectations aside. This book really focuses on the inner psyches of the characters and describing the abuse they faced in their childhood. Overall, this was a tough read and it ended up taking me over a month to actually finish. I think the book was still worth reading though, and I appreciated the resolution. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Addiction, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Child death, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child abuse, Rape, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

0ldoini's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Abandonment, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Bullying, Incest, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Drug use, Murder, Suicide, Addiction, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Torture, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Pedophilia

ashleyjean6's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

I had to knock a star off for content; it's so difficult to read. A lot of child abuse, gaslighting, emotional trauma. I wasn't aware how vivid that would all be. But as always, she's a really excellent writer and I flew through it. Audiobook is really excellent. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Body shaming, Rape, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Murder, Addiction, Death, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Gaslighting, Vomit, Domestic abuse, and Grief