Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

75 reviews

blackferrum's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Actual rating: 3,8

Momen habis kelarin ini buku berasa kayak lagi merenungi kehidupan karena well, kadang hidup emang seaneh itu. Eh, bukan aneh, sih, lebih ke kurang adil aja. Kasus yang jelas-jelas merugikan korban malah jadi kayak semacam ajang siapa yang lebih pantas jadi tersangka atau mencari siapa penjahat sebenarnya. Muak banget. Huh, makanya kemarin nggak langsung nulis reviu karena masih syok plus menata pikiran.

Rachel Krall, jurnalis yang memiliki siniar berjudul Bersalah atau Tidak Bersalah, meliput kasus pemerkosaan di Kota Neapolis. Korbannya cucu mantan kepala polisi setempat, sedangkan terdakwa adalah salah satu orang terkaya di sana. Kasus ini akan menjadi pokok bahasan musim ketiga Siniar milik Rachel. Seharusnya begitu, sebelum sebuah surat diselipkan di pembersih kaca mobilnya ketika berhenti sebentar di rest area. Identitas Rachel sebagai pemilik siniar dirahasiakan. Tidak ada yang tahu wajah dan detail kehidupannya, kecuali produsernya, Pete, dan beberapa asisten yang membantu membalas surat-surat masuk.

Surat itu seharusnya dilupakan. Mungkin hanya salah satu surat dari penggemar, walaupun cara mendapat perhatiannya memang meresahkan. Namun, saat akhirnya keinginan untuk membuka surat itu lebih kuat, Rachel mendapati si penulis surat mencoba meminta bantuannya untuk mengungkap kasus kematian sang kakak 25 tahun lalu. Kasus pemerkosaan cucu mantan kepala kepolisian berlangsung sengit, begitu pula surat-surat dari sang penggemar yang semakin memikat Rachel hingga berujung pada dugaan bahwa sang kakak tidak mati tenggelam; ada yang membunuhnya.

Pas baca ini mau nggak mau keingat lagi dengan buku Breath of Scandal - Luka Masa Lalu karya Sandra Brown. Bahasannya soal pemerkosaan anak di bawah umur. Jujur, kupikir tag dewasa di atas kode batang sampul belakang buku itu buat adegan dewasa lain, ternyata untuk memperingatkan kronologis kejadian dijelaskan cukup graphic. Lagi-lagi, bagian pelaku yang seolah menganggap korban hanya merengek atau merasa berkuasa atas tubuh korban itu sukses bikin mual. Aku harus berhenti beberapa kali karena nggak kuat, beneran rasanya kepengin skip, tapi takut juga ada petunjuk penting terlewat.

Ini kali pertama aku baca buku penulis, narasinya enak dibaca. Terjemahannya juga renyah, walaupun ada beberapa typo yang agak ganggu. Penulis mampu memutar-mutar perasaan pembaca lewat pemikiran karakternya yang nggak bisa berhenti bikin napas sesak. Apalagi adegan di pengadilan. Dua pengacara saling menyerang demi melindungi klien masing-masing. Selain itu, penulis juga menggambarkan kelihaian atau teknik pengacara dalam ruang pengadilan. Semacam menunjukkan gestur ini artinya kode begini atau gestur itu artinya kode begitu. Kuakui, ini jadi poin menarik, sih.

Proses sidang nggak bisa dibilang mudah. Apalagi waktu korban ditempatkan pada kursi saksi. Enggak bisa bayangin gimana rasanya harus menceritakan kembali adegan menjijikkan itu di depan banyak orang asing. Ingat, korban masih di bawah umur. Usianya baru 16 tahun!

Ketika terjadi kekerasan seksual, kita harus berpihak pada korban, kan? Bagaimanapun keadaannya. Sayangnya, di sini sama aja kayak kasus pelecehan yang sering seliweran di media massa; korban selalu salah. Rasanya lapor ke pihak berwajib sampai harus naik ke pengadilan bukan pilihan bijak saking kejamnya dunia nuding korban macam-macam. Paling greget waktu korban di buku ini ditanya pengacara pembela (dari pihak lawan) apakah dia ikut menikmati ketika berhubungan? SICK BANGET. Beneran nggak ada kata ampun buat korban pelecehan seksual atau pemerkosaan. Pokoknya terpojok aja udah, bikin jengkel setengah mati.

Bahas soal bukunya, profesi seorang penyiar siniar itu terbilang baru bagiku. Selama ini belum ada konsep pengungkapan kasus lewat siniar. Pernah tahu hal serupa, tapi kalau nggak salah ingat lewat radio. Terus usaha Rachel buat investigasi kasusnya patut diacungi jempol, sih, totalitas menggali informasi sana-sini padahal dia orang asing di kota itu, sampai nyerempet bahaya.

Harusnya aku kasih full bintang, sih, tapi ada beberapa poin yang bikin aku kurang sreg. Pertama, beberapa penjelasan diulang di paragraf yang berbeda, dengan susunan kata yang berbeda tapi intinya sama. Kedua, ini spoiler jadi jangan coba-coba dibuka

sosok Hannah, si penulis surat, seharusnya sosok yang selama proses investigasi Rachel tuh orang yang dia kenal. Kayak lebih ngena juga bagian twist-nya, kayak dikasih twist bertubi-tubi gitu. Misal kayak Hannah ternyata orang itu yang berganti nama

. Ketiga, karakter Rachel sebenarnya nggak banyak layer. Kayak hampir dua dimensi dia, tuh. Emosinya juga nggak begitu kelihatan. Kepribadiannya emang kaku, tipe-tipe orang yang serius terus gitu, tapi yah, sayangnya deskripsi dari penulis pun susah buat mengangkat si emosi ini. Bagiku, karakter Rachel nggak ada di ambang hitam atau putih, malah putih semua dan ini juga salah satu yang bikin aku kurang bisa merasakan ke-real-annya.

Overall, buku ini wajib coba dibaca bagi siapa pun yang suka thriller atau lagi nyoba baca genre bersangkutan.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, and Alcohol

lottie1803's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Sexual violence

___'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?)

---

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

abbynordman's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts

beccabrune's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

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

judassilver's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Murder, and Misogyny

Moderate: Child abuse, Car accident, Medical trauma, Suicide, and Panic attacks/disorders

rpremo's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

2.75

A good read but pretty straightforward. Not heart racing and only one small but obvious hint gives away the only surprise to the ending. Pretty much a bummer read but not graphic. 

---

Content Warnings

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

Minor: Car accident and Physical abuse

nicksalex's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Car accident, Bullying, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Cancer, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Death of parent

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.

---

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

zach_off's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.5

Captivating murder mystery with a chilling subplot that seamlessly connects the dots. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Death, Suicide, Torture, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Sexual assault