Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
274 reviews
carbinara's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
I also wish they had more clarity on the vampire lore of this book, as we have our one villainous vampire and seemingly thats the only insight we get, with very little confirmed on what his vampiric nature allows him to do. I say this specifically as the ‘feeding’ scenes are so different to what we imagine for a classic vampire novel, and I wish it was expanded on more, although it makes sense as it’s from the perspective of Patricia, who has no way to know.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Sexual assault, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Dementia, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Death, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Physical abuse
melodyseestrees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
2.75
Patricia's son spends the majority of the book unhealthily attached to WW2 and Nazism. All he talks about prior to
There are 2 notably gory scenes. One involves rats and features dog vs rats violence and also rats snapping at the two people involved like a stereotypical school of piranha. I was not at all pleased to read about the snapping of necks and chunks taken out. The other gory scene is at the end of the book and I won't spoil it. If you can handle the rat scene you will be able to handle this scene too. It is slightly more 'meat processing' than medical. One other scene that is a bit intense is
I did not appreciate how the majority of the victims were children, especially at the reveal that the bite creates a sexual euphoria that leads to addiction. This is described in detail for two characters, one who is an adult and the other who is in their late teens or early twenties.
Just about all the male characters embodied stereotypes and were as present in the story as they were in their kids' lives. They either drank, beat their wives, had an abusive amount of control over their wives, or gaslit the ever-loving joy out of their wives.
The book club are all fair-weather friends. The husbands band together to gaslight and call Patricia crazy and despite the proof they had in their hands at the time, all of the rest of the book club agree. Then at the end while four are struggling in the fight against evil one of the others shows up like she is the saving grace, despite doing next to nothing to help for the entire book. By the end all the surviving book club members seem to still be meeting up as if all were normal. There was small implication that something is going on with the dog, Patricia, and her daughter but it may have been meant as a 'some wounds never heal' kind of thing.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Rape, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual assault, Child death, Gaslighting, Suicide, Antisemitism, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Vomit, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Racism, Confinement, Medical content, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Dementia, Death, and Classism
Minor: Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Several characters are stated to have committed suicide in minor detail. One character attempts, also in minor detail.ashlynregan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Violence, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt
fionaross's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Long, poor writing, and we never come back to any of the central motifs from the beginning of the novel. The women are cliches- not merely because of time period, but because of failed introspection of their interior lives. But thank god they get some witty one liners, what really matters is that your slay girl boss team of book club members gets to think something sassy to combat their vile husbands.
Graphic: Misogyny, Body horror, Death, Gore, Murder, Sexual assault, Blood, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Sexism
jhaneveauguste's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexism, Terminal illness, Child death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Blood, Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
nicoleme1212's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Death, Sexual assault, Rape, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Classism, Body horror, Child death, and Child abuse
karleywestra's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Rape, Blood, Child death, Animal death, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gore, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Classism, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Murder
lira_the_recluse's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
There are many morbid and grotesque scenes, many with a plethora of content warnings.
I did not feel great about the climax of the book, and how much death it took to get all the white women to band together. I also don't like how the initial part of the book came off as very white savior, but I guess the book is about the flaws of the main characters and how they are finally driven to fight the vampire.
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Racism, Murder, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Rape, Dementia, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Child death, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Grief, Death, Body horror, Animal cruelty, and Adult/minor relationship
multiplyoctopi's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Dementia, Death of parent, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pedophilia, Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Police brutality, Alcoholism, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
camo_mila's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The ending wasn't my fave too, not that it was bad or anything, but not as interesting I guess, I expected more of the ending. But I had a enjoyable time so no regrets
Also fyi having sexist and racist characters on a book doesn't mean by proxy that the book is that, even more when it's fully criticizing the characters for it, all the damn time.
Graphic: Blood, Sexual violence, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Death, Rape, Gore, Violence, Pedophilia, Murder, Suicide, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Body horror, Animal cruelty, and Alcoholism