Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Surface Breaks by Louise O'Neill

14 reviews

lais's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.75

Faltou um epílogo resumindo como as coisas ficaram

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Murder, Fatphobia, Incest, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, and Suicide

priscilla's review

dark reflective fast-paced

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

2.0

This book was such a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, the writing and the voice are really strong and flow (ironically) like water. It's sooo easy to get through these pages and get sucked up by the story and the pretty wording. But on the other hand the themes were hammered on so often and so explicitly, with the text explaining exactly to the reader what to think instead of letting us do the work ourselves, that it fell flat for me. I like the feminist angle, but i would rather have had it shown to me than told. If more time had been spent actually fleshing out the characters and the moments between them, as well as showing the logic of the world in action more, I would've liked this book a whole lot more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Rape

words_and_dreams's review

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

4.0

🧜‍♀️Feminist retelling of 'The Little Mermaid'

Gaia, the youngest daughter of the Sea King is unhappy with her life. The underwater kingdom has a dystopian feel, women have no say and those that are deemed 'unattractive' are sent to live in the outlands, outcasts. She is betrothed to an older man who is a sexual predator. All of the women have repressed lives, controlled by the men. 
On her 15th birthday Gaia visits the surface as her right of passage. She there sees and rescues Oliver, a human boy and falls in love. The insta love didn't bother me as that tracks with teens. She makes a bargain with the Sea Witch to get human legs at a price. 

Although it was set in modern day, it still had that fairytale feel to it. I liked the portryal of Ceto the sea witch, a being of neither good nor evil and felt more authentic to the original tale. Gaia's journey is an interesting one as she comes of age, and her realisation that the surface world is not much better than the sea world. Men are weak and evil everywhere. 

It was a little on the nose at times but it is aimed at a younger audience. I loved the ending but wish it had been drawn out a little longer. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Blood

mj38012's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Violence, Body horror, Gore, Blood, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: War, Murder, Death of parent, Suicide, and Sexual assault

Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Sexual content

kirstenf's review

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Sexual violence, and Sexism

Moderate: Alcohol, War, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fatphobia, Ableism, and Suicide

Minor: Rape, Drug use, and Pedophilia

cheye13's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Misogyny, Sexism, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

Minor: Lesbophobia and Homophobia

brief period of blackmail involving sexual favors

alyxinthestars's review

reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

Minor: Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

bethsbooketlist's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

So much of this I really loved (for the majority I could not put it down) but there were some fundamental things about Muirgen 's time above water I did not, and some things felt a bit jointed. But overall I did like and glad I read. I appreciated the strong female message (though possibly a bit overdone at times for me personally) 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Body shaming

lsylvie's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Self harm, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Homophobia