Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

42 reviews

salometeorite's review

• 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

one of the worst books i've ever read. i can't believe this is so popular. not only is this filled with stereotypes, deeply mysoginistic (and at times homophobic), and extremely triggering (tw : rape, abuse) and harmful, it also very badly written. save yourself the torture and avoid this book at all cost.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Sexism, and Child abuse

cait's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Violence, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Sexual assault

nagisasigh's review against another edition

dark emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

2.25

listen, the writing wasn't good and it was incredibly predictable. that being said, it was cute and im giving an extra star for the hillary duff style locker room barge in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

viki_vamp's review

lighthearted fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexism

aleclghtwood's review

funny fast-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

1.0

Why would an author take such heavy themes like rape and domestic abuse and simply decide not to deepen the subject or raise awareness, but to use as a tool to character development, like they need to have that experience to be who they are today? And even that is made poorly. And talking about character development: the only two characters in the book that she gave a personality are the main ones, the other ones are just shallow as this book as a whole - Justin, who is the main catalyst for everything in the beginning, is totally forgotten at some point, even with all the hints about his shady personality and potential he had for the overral plot. Hannah is the worst, she spends most of the first half of the book claiming that she's soooo not like other girls (istg she actually says the words at some point) because she's not interested in many guys and thinking that other girls are whores for it. Garret is actually a nice guy if you excuse the way he thinks how men and women relationships work in the first chapters, but Hannah and the narrative treats him like some sort of savior and I think it's disturbing when we are talking about a rape victim. She's not a strong female character when she needs to degrade other women to feel better about herself and needs the help of a man to overcome a trauma. And about the domestic violence, it was written a little better, but when Garret

sees that Cindy is a victim, he tells that "it's not his place to intervene"??? WHAT THE FUCK??? It felt so ooc after everything his mother and him went through.

I understand why we would like this book when it was released in 2015, but right now? I thought we're over the pick me trope, disappointed to see we aren't. The only thing I hope could be good were the smut scenes, but not even that, they're just a few and not satisfying. I started this book with low expectations, but it was worse than I thought, hope I never read Elle Kennedy again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Blood, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Stalking, and Terminal illness

Minor: Grief

vj_thompson's review

emotional funny lighthearted sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Cursing, Misogyny, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Violence, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Drug use, Bullying, Mental illness, and Blood

lilyyyy_b's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Alcohol, Child abuse, Sexism, Blood, Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Body horror, Grief, Medical content, and Rape

one character (Hannah) was raped and doesnt like drinking in public as doesnt trust she wont get raped again. the other main character (Garrett) looks after her drinks to make sure shes ok. she went to therapy afterwards, also sees someone who testified against her saying shed given consent.

remykinz's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexism

chloecarr's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, and Physical abuse

biloser99's review

emotional funny fast-paced

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

1.75

while the fmc & mmc had chemistry and banter, it was not enough to make up for all the ways this book falls short. alongside some of the basic gender essentialism in romance, there is also a ton lf misogyny from both male and female characters alike. honestly the internalized misogyny was stronger if anything. the book handles SA, domestic violence, and sexual dysfunction pretty poorly, in way that is frankly insulting throughout. this book tries to be something it isn’t, an empowering story of a woman falling in love and gaining sexual power after SA, but frankly the author wasn’t ready to tackle these topics.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Child abuse