Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

53 reviews

septemberdark's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Ableism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, and Sexual content

catbuechler's review against another edition

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Confinement, and Mental illness

surelyinthefountain's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

It's good! The prose is lush and descriptive. There's this moody, claustrophobic feeling that the writing does so well -- you really get the sense that everyone's got a predestined role to play with little real agency as they rattle on towards their ultimate fates. Fortune feels like a character, and that's pretty neat.
There's a lot of content in here that's uh...pretty triggering, to say the least. Thematically, the book is in no small part about trauma -- its effects, its consequences, etc. -- so it kind of needed to be so. I don't think Waters ever goes gratuitous with it, either. But yeah, the forced institutionalization stuff in here is no joke.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Bullying, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Eating disorder

Minor: Pedophilia

honeycrispp's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, and Kidnapping

emi98's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-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

4.5

GOD WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THIS BOOK...

First off, I initially watched the inspired movie "The Handmaiden" which changed my life, and I wanted to see if the original deal matched. 

It didn't, but not in a bad way. The twists were a bit more insane here, and I love the book in its own totality. The characters in the book are diverse and full of life; that isn't to say many are likeable, even the main characters are at times not faves, but that's what makes the story compelling too. I really loved the relationship developments between many of the characters, esp between the two main ones, Sue & Maude, and the tenderness, vulnerability, and kinship they shared where no one else could was just (cry of a baby wail). The language is pretty lush and mostly not overwrought, so details emerge that become bangers on their own. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Murder

imaginethehours's review against another edition

mysterious 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Murder, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Death, and Blood

Minor: Lesbophobia and Sexual assault

natanidae's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

breemeup's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual assault

shaney_swift's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Ableism

nonfictionfeminist's review against another edition

Far too slow for me. Unnecessary or repetitive details made this fascinating tale completely uninteresting.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Sexism