Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Binding by Bridget Collins

41 reviews

greymalkin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

2.0

Writing is decent enough and I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the idea of what binders do.  But wow does this book feel like it needs to have all the content warnings included.

I didn't much like any of the characters and the terrible abuse of all the female characters (not a single one is spared) was really upsetting.  Especially as the male characters tended to be the abusers and awful people and for the most part had zero repercussions or punishment.  I also wish that the book had lingered more on the actual bookbinding part instead of just a few descriptions of materials and tools that we never "see" used so we don't know what they do.  Since the author has actually taken a lot of bookbinding classes I expected more but it felt more like what someone might add after an evening of googling and youtube videos.  Since it was such a huge part of the magic system of the world, I wanted more details.  All the bits about "trade" and fakes were intriguing but we never get to interact with them "onscreen".  Humans are storytellers, how is that no one has written down stories before?  If they didn't, then why isn't there more of an oral tradition?  My questions really took me out of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Violence, Child death, Suicide, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Self harm

Minor: Racism, Religious bigotry, Torture, Stalking, and Kidnapping

In case the massive block of content warning tags is not enough, this book has multiple serial pedophilic rapists in it and disturbing homophobic violence. And no, the perpetrators don't get punished. Only their victims get punished and killed.

taliastorm's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Violence

mieefie's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual harassment

abbyeck's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, Suicide, and Vomit

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Rape, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Sexual harassment

anapthine's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Biphobia, Bullying, Vomit, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual harassment, Death, Sexism, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Moderate: Physical abuse and Sexual content

Minor: Addiction, Blood, Classism, Deadnaming, Death, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

jamielou's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I became very attached to the characters and I loved the style of writing, more than once there was a phrase that made me stop and think for a while. It was a bit slow in the middle and I found the ending to be a little disappointing- I felt a lot was unresolved, but it was happy nonetheless. I had expected it to be more heartbreaking from what I had heard, so maybe it was just not what I was expecting. I did enjoy it though, it drew me in which hasn’t happened with many books in a while. It also touches on so many themes like homophobia, trauma, depression, suicide, grief, recovery, and abuse, and it was all so well-written and impactful, and you could truly empathise with what the characters were going through. The overall message that we are more than our trauma was really meaningful to me. Also it was gay so it gets points for that

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Rape, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, and Domestic abuse

I would definitely say that there are a lot of upsetting themes covered in this book, so please be mindful of any triggers.

vigil's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

i read this entire book in one day. something about it immediately pulled me in from page one. 

it does leave several things up to interpretation for the reader. binding is the main characters true calling, and it’s repeatedly emphasized throughout the story. despite this, binding is given a very conflicting portrayal, and its more negative than you’d think. we don’t get to see really anything of the magical portion of emmett’s binding despite the concept being central to the plot. 

this book is split up into three parts, all interconnected, but so varying in tone it can seem like you’re reading a different book. 

if you enjoy character driven stories, heavy introspection, ambiguous interpretations, and a book more focused on a journey than an ending, i’d recommend this. 

this book is pretty difficult to write a review about, and i suggest you go in knowing as little as possible. that being said, heed all content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Physical abuse, Death, Blood, Suicide, Animal death, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Forced institutionalization

izzybell's review

mysterious medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Death, Outing, Homophobia, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Rape, Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Animal death

hannux's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

adelll's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Abortion, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Incest, Murder, Outing, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Suicide, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Rape, Pregnancy, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder