Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Bellies by Nicola Dinan

30 reviews

applesodaperson's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

Despite this book being pretty popular online, I unfortunately thought that it was just okay. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I read it in 2020, when I was more new to the queer world. But reading this in 2024, it struck me as a bit cringe. 
I had a hard time understanding what the book was wanting the readers to think about the characters. Because sometimes it seemed like we were supposed to side with Ming over Tim, or vice versa. And if the point was to have complex, morally gray characters, unfortunately it just led to me not liking anyone in this book. I thought they were all pretty unlikeable. 
It also just struck me as unrealistic overall. And I do understand that this book is ultimately a commentary, but having every character's life resolve solely around being queer just did not feel real to me. Because out of every person I have met in my life, I know that people have more going on in their lives than just their gender and sexuality. And obviously I am not saying this cannot be important to people, but in order for a character to feel realistic, their life needs to be more complex and varied than what was shown in this book. 
Also this book felt way too long for what it was. Overall enjoyable though. 
Listened to on Libby.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Sexual content

paddy_chh's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I cannot remember ever reading about as realistic and relatabley  flawed characters as these.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Transphobia, Grief, and Car accident

henrietteterkelsen's review

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Transphobia, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, and Dysphoria

san_dra's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Outing, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug use, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Dementia, Death of parent, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

rebeckareads's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective slow-paced

4.0

A lovely read, although the writing got a bit too flowery at times (which says a lot coming from me!). I thought it was an interesting (not necessarily positive) choice to exclude Tom's perspective towards the end, and also thought it focused too much on food descriptions at times... but all in all, an enjoyable read with metaphors/throwbacks nicely weaved throughout.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death and Grief

siobhanward's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

This was sweet and sad but not my favourite. Maybe the characters were too young and just in a part of their lives that no longer resonates with me. Maybe time moved too quickly and it felt like things just got jumbled. I think it may be a combination of both. I liked Tom and Ming, and now their relationship ebbed and flowed, and I liked the side characters, it just felt like the book just wasn't quite there. I think Dinan opted to zoom out on their lives and over a longer period of time, which worked in some ways but not in others, and that might be where the problem was for me. It was an interesting book with some sweet and heartbreaking moments, but not one I can see myself revisiting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, and Transphobia

kers_tin's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Racism, Transphobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic

yleavy's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

2.25

Some sweet moments, and I can see why people like this book. The characters all have moments of charm in that “uni student who thinks they are quirky” sort of way. The dialogue felt like it was coming from an afterschool special, with the characters using therapy words or helping each other reach a profound revelation in every conversation. Without the tense changes, the characters’ POVs would be difficult to tell apart, and the analogies were often more distracting than fitting. Examples include “our tongues shook hands” and “my heart grows thicker”. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Deadnaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Transphobia, Vomit, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

charlizzzard_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

One of the best books I've ever read. It was so achingly honest and sad. A must-read, by all accounts! Thank you to the lady in Waterstones who recommended it to me!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Transphobia

priyasvnsn's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

A beautifully written book. I connected and felt so much for both characters and the extra characters. The imagery painted by the writer was brilliant, I was there with the characters and felt every emotion with them. Even though they’re fictional characters I closed the book hoping they both do well

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Transphobia