Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt

55 reviews

augusts_2020's review

dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Transphobia, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Outing, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Toxic friendship, Islamophobia, Lesbophobia, Rape, Colonisation, Death, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Sexism, Xenophobia, Blood, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Pregnancy, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Torture

beckjimenez's review

dark slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Racism, Murder, Mental illness, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Drug use, Drug abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Antisemitism, and Blood

hwks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

3.75

So weird, so dark, and a bit difficult to describe. This book tells the story of a haunted house, shifting perspectives from different characters and time periods. The main characters I wouldn't describe as sympathetic at all, but were honest portrayals of complicated people with traumatic pasts and the less than desirable responses to those events. Rumfitt did a pretty impressive job combining horror and some topical social commentary. I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did, as I'm not a big horror fan. It is however, very graphic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Sexual violence, Gore, Rape, Body horror, Antisemitism, Blood, Abortion, Racism, and Mental illness

gilroi's review

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-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

5.0

 While this novel is searingly raw, absolutely none of it is undercooked. A testament to the work, considering how many incredible risks the writing takes, not just with form, but with content. This is a very specific book, about a very specific time, and a very specific experience. I don't know how people will understand this book if they're unfamiliar with how the internet treats trans people-- the TERF 'movement', mumsnet and #IStandWithMaya and trans widows and 4chan Nazis and sissy hypno. All of these things are real. All of these things are not parody. The book is about these things. Which is to say, fascism.

This book is a slap in the face from someone who loves you. Maybe you can forgive the violence. Maybe you can't. That's your choice. It might be the only choice you have. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gore, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Blood, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Body horror, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Lesbophobia, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Racial slurs, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Islamophobia, Outing, Deadnaming, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, and Excrement

zoetennant's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Rape

elfity's review

dark emotional reflective 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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Antisemitism, Blood, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Death, Gore, Hate crime, and Xenophobia

sakshiagrwl's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Hate crime, Grief, Torture, Self harm, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Sexual violence, Rape, Mental illness, and Body horror

Moderate: Antisemitism

Minor: Addiction

andykmcc's review

dark tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Dysphoria, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Mental illness

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

emzhay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Very bingeable yet graphic read. It’s complex and in your face about what what it aims to be. Some portions get a bit on the rambling side of things and the message gets lost.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Transphobia, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Homophobia, Vomit, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Torture, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Gore, Blood, Suicide, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Grief and Genocide

Minor: Pedophilia