Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Trust Exercise by Susan Choi

12 reviews

btothebooks's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

0.75

The only reason I finished this book was because it was the last one I needed to finish my reading challenge for the year. Otherwise I would have DNF’ed it around 30 pages in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Vomit

travisppe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

The format of this book is going to stick with me for a long time. Very cool. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Outing, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Incest, Pregnancy, Rape, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual violence

backpocket_'s review

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I think Choi balanced the temporal and pov shifts really well in this story. It was fascinating to feel your understanding of these situations shift as the characters' perceptions and understanding shifted as well. The prose is also deliciously detailed and rich.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pregnancy, Self harm, and Pedophilia

lucinotlucy's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Pregnancy

sarahcothron's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Emotional abuse and Pregnancy

elatedbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

“And right away her gaze went hard with the anger we always feel at the person who spoils our idea of ourself.”

This was not what I was expecting it to be & is indeed very ‘literary’ and I nearly DNFed it early on but soon developed the sick sort of fascination that comes with watching a car crash from start to finish. However I find character studies not very memorable & relate to Sarah’s experience trying to read Tropic of Cancer: 

“Clearly she’s too young to read Tropic of Cancer, but she can’t accept this; if she knows what the words mean, the book’s meaning ought to unfold.”

I’m too young to read this book (although, unlike Sarah, I do except this!) perhaps character focused books will resonate more with me in the future but for now I need a bit more plot & less floaty idea things.

“Karen’s true adult life began when she recognized she was a child”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia

momcneill's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Emotional abuse

collinsshaym's review against another edition

challenging fast-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, and Gun violence

leah_alexandra's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was pretty rough. It's tough to talk about my reactions without spoilers, so most of my review is hidden. 

I had been told there was a big "twist" in the book, but I was honestly pretty disappointed. The first part of the book actually being a fictionalized book a student wrote was not as dramatic a twist as I thought it would be. And I don't know if the author meant for the shooting at the end of "Karen's" part of the book to be a surprise, but it was apparent from miles away. The last, very small piece of the book was vague, and not in a way that made it more intriguing. Just added to some general frustrations with the book. Sarah's story was pretty exhausting--it really leaned into the trope of special teens being somehow more mature than their years. I was less frustrated by that piece once I knew what it was, but the second half of the book didn't do enough to make up for it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

literaryliaisons's review

3.0

What a bleak novel, but I can see why it won the National Book Award. Choi's prose is arresting. Overall, I'm glad I read it and will probably be tempted to pick up another novel by Choi in the future for her prose alone, and the boldness of her stylistic decisions. 

All in all, I would certainly recommend this novel to others if they enjoy contemporary literary fiction and are comfortable with the content. The three instances of explicit sexual assault in this novel, as well as the child grooming, make it a difficult sell and I would probably lead with this content warning before giving the recommendation. Nevertheless, this novel was compelling, especially the second section and the "complication" of the established narrative that Karen presents. I also very much appreciated the spot-on theatrical details and the unfortunately accurate portrayal of the (few but prevalent) predatory figures that lurk in performing arts spaces.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Bullying and Emotional abuse

MASSIVE trigger warning/content warning in this one for sexual assault and grooming/coercion. All three of the main women in the story are assaulted on the page explicitly (not just mentioned in passing or alluded to).