Reviews tagging 'War'

Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt

8 reviews

vixenreader's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

A phenomenal novel, if not entirely enjoyable, it is a harrowing exploration of trauma through bigotry and intergenerational fascism can lead to prejudice and self-loathing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Colonisation, Cursing, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Outing, Death, Murder, Self harm, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Deadnaming, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Vomit, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, War, and Excrement

Minor: Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment

Be prepared for instances of INCEL culture, terrorism, bombing, disturbing hate symbols, TERF culture, woman-on-woman sexual assault, serial killing, self-hatred, strap-on sex, the loss of a friend, and public sex.

lynxpardinus's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Vomit, Antisemitism, Blood, Deadnaming, Death, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Deportation, Excrement, Mass/school shootings, War, Child abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Bullying, and Classism

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic and Incest

lindseyas's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-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

3.25

I think that this book was just not my cup of tea. We read the introduction to it in my "Literary Hauntings" class last semester, so when I saw it at the bookstore I picked it up because I recognized the title. It is a refreshing, political take on the haunted house trope and the idea that ghosts stem from trauma, but it was just really, really heavy. The sexual violence and horrific language and situations were a lot to get through, but the symbols really shine through in terms of the representation of fascism, transphobia and hatred. I think that it was well-written in that sense, but there were some moments where it was overwhelmingly and honestly the aura didn't feel necessary. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Antisemitism, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Sexual content, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Vomit, Sexual assault, Self harm, Racism, Colonisation, Deadnaming, Death, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Rape, Gaslighting, Hate crime, War, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Outing, Murder, Xenophobia, Violence, Racial slurs, and Pedophilia

ecn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

I don’t even know what to say about the book. It was absolutely brutal in every possible way and I could barely get through it. This book contains seemingly every trigger so check that before moving forward.
I can’t say I enjoyed this book but it was really well written and reflective of everything evil and vile about the world we live in. It’s hard to read a book with shitty MCs who are also not shitty and oppressed by society. I know that’s the point but phew. There was nothing light or good to hold into in this.

The ending also left me kind of confused as to what actually happened (whether this was bc of the multiple POVs, the jumping around of timelines, or bc I read the audiobook, I have no idea).

Overall feeling very ???? I would like for my scowl and jaw to unclench but I doubt that will happen any time soon.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Antisemitism, Rape, Vomit, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Racism, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Deadnaming, Grief, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Dysphoria, Drug use, Child abuse, Xenophobia, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Animal death, War, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Hate crime, Drug abuse, Deportation, Death, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Classism, and Blood

erica_reads_things's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow. What an intense, incredible read. Unlike any other horror book I have ever read. The messaging was strong, terrifying, real, and very present. Loved the writing style and the voice that Alison gave these complex characters. The imagery and metaphor of the House was so well done. 

Please please read up on the trigger warnings though, especially for LGBTQ and Jewish folks. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Hate crime, Rape, Sexism, Body horror, Body shaming, Self harm, Antisemitism, Grief, Racism, Gore, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual content, Ableism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Drug use, Suicide attempt, War, Vomit, and Adult/minor relationship

aus10england's review

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

An absolutely incredible work of queer horror fiction. I’ve never read anything like it. The house being a central character was SO well done. There are some HORRIFIC things in this book, but they don’t feel gimmicky or use in a way as to illicit shock factor. Some interesting political commentary in there as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Rape, and Transphobia

Moderate: Vomit, Suicide, Toxic friendship, War, and Xenophobia

Minor: Animal death

throwback682's review against another edition

dark tense

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

This is the most disturbing book I’ve ever read in my life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Racism, Physical abuse, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Colonisation, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Animal death, Classism, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Rape, Blood, Dysphoria, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Antisemitism, Gore, Excrement, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Confinement, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

Moderate: Pedophilia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Deportation, and War

monsterofidaho's review

challenging dark tense fast-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

Tell Me I'm Worthless is a punch to the teeth. The House at the center of this book will gut you, talk to you, tease you with the temptations of violence and hatred. The treatment of the House itself and giving it a voice as strong as those of the main characters is seriously not like anything I've ever read. I've never been scared of haunted houses. Unnerved, certainly, or excited. This one terrified me and it's a lingering fear, one that hooks its claws in and sticks. As one might expect, there are many triggers in this book including but not limited to fascism, r*pe, transphobia, hate crimes, self harm, and suicide. Tell Me I'm Worthless is compelling, furious, and uniquely powerful so read safely.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Racism, Transphobia, Blood, Sexual violence, Body horror, Xenophobia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, War, Excrement, Torture, Violence, Deadnaming, Vomit, Homophobia, and Hate crime