Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Cantik Itu Luka by Eka Kurniawan

14 reviews

thursdd4y's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Child death, Classism, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Police brutality, Vomit, Grief, Incest, Cursing, Sexual assault, Abortion, Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Stalking, Body shaming, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Pregnancy, Confinement, Suicide, Colonisation, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Torture, and Violence

augie_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

The story is complex and well-woven but I found the laissez-faire approach to sexual assault and violence very off-putting.  I may be missing some context from the mythology used as inspiration,  but this was definitely a really rough read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Violence, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Domestic abuse, Gore, and Rape

_kathill's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death, War, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Incest, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, and Gore

raquelmozart_123's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I wanted to love it so bad but the end could never suffice for all the wrongs and pain I had to go through as a reader (female and non white at that). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Murder, Abandonment, Stalking, Rape, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Sexism, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Excrement, Alcoholism, War, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, Colonisation, Child death, Classism, Chronic illness, Gore, Confinement, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Incest, Hate crime, Racism, Police brutality, Child abuse, Misogyny, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Body shaming

allyem_reads's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Violence, Incest, Sexism, Slavery, War, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Murder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Kidnapping, Child death, Colonisation, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, Body horror, and Classism

giftofbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Physical abuse, Incest, Rape, and Animal death

agnela's review against another edition

challenging sad slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Rape, Violence, Torture, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, and Murder

joygarcialim's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Rape, Racism, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Abortion, Cursing, Genocide, Mental illness, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Incest, Sexual assault, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Grief, Police brutality, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Misogyny, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

soupqueen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Child death, Rape, Violence, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Suicide, Child death, Animal death, and Colonisation

A lot of really bad things happen in this book, but the descriptions are always detached, making everything feel less graphic

imaginefishes's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

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

4.75

The story is told non-linearly, with a giant ensemble cast of characters who have someone all been interwoven together into the same family, and yet, the story does not become drab nor difficult to follow. Despite the dark matters (such as rape) described in the book, the tone of writing remains lighthearted and almost cheeky, which makes it for an easy read (though the normalising of violence, sexual or otherwise, towards women may be difficult to stomach at times). The story is entertaining to the end, and seeing all the final pieces fall into place describing the choices of characters from chapters ago was somewhat satisfying, but also mildly disappointing due to the reveal of the central piece.

Overall, this is a story about myth and legend set in a real-life historical timeline, where the Indonesian experience of war, decolonialisation, and post-independence is reflected through a variety of characters symbolising these differing themes. My (brief) learning of Indonesian history in school definitely aided in my following of the timeline, and I would recommend readers familiarise themselves with these topics prior to taking on this book. Besides showcasing the overall population-wide experience, the book also depicts the micro-perspective of Dewi Ayu and the tragic fate of her family, which when combined with the humorous choice of phrases used in the book, somehow allows me as the reader not to feel sympathy for them, but rather, view their demise as consequences of their own actions.

Truly, no character in this story is innocent. Crime, immorality, and violence are the bread and butter of the plot, and there are more than necessary descriptions of fecal matter and death. Though, I did not find these descriptions to be overtly vulgar as this diction fits into the overall tone of the book.

I had no clue what this book would be about when I first read it, but I do not regret picking it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Sexual content, Gun violence, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Torture, War, Alcohol, Colonisation, Death of parent, Excrement, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Grief and Bullying