Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

67 reviews

vedpears's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I think I have become a Celeste Ng fan girl now. The writing is beautiful and mesmerizing  - such great storytelling! I disliked every character except Nathan and Hannah (spelling? I consumed this book via audiobook). Narcissists all around. I recognized so many scenarios from my own family dynamics and those of my friends'. I find it interesting that some reviews I have read said these characters weren't believable. I whole-heartedly disagree with that sentiment and am certain that those reviewers aren't paying attention to others in their lives, are like one of the parents in the book themselves, or live very fortunately charmed lives. 

I think Celeste Ng does a great job threading context/ characters' histories into the current narrative. That story telling tool often irritates me but she does it so well that it doesn't feel like an interruption. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Grief, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Murder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Xenophobia, Suicide, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Vomit

whatchusellin's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Soooooo goood. Also deeply gut wrenching. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I was fully ready to rate this book 5 stars until I read the twist ending that undercuts the first 80% of the book. Don't get me wrong though: it's beautifully and expertly written. The characters are richly described, have deep inner lives, and have exquisitely unique senses of their self. I appreciated the exploration of family dynamics at play, as well as seeing things from the point of view of characters of color as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book...except for the last 30 pages, which I will discuss in the spoiler tag below.

The catalyst for the entire novel is because Lydia had an accident. Even her death robbed her of her agency. I was going to give this book a five-out-of-five rating because I thought I was reading an actual true-to-life account of a teen struggling with depression, but no. She drowns on accident. Because her foot missed the dock when she was climbing out of the boat.

This book is just another example of literary fiction grief porn. Lydia "had to" die for her family to learn how to live. Even her death is only meaningful to those who are living. Even her death was taken away as a thing meant just for her.

I was hugely disappointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Grief, Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Child death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Bullying and Racism

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.5

The book was difficult to get into at first, with the slow pacing and long chapters. But I really began to enjoy this book after the first 75 pages! I loved getting to know each character, even if they frustrated me or confused me at times.

The book takes an interesting look at each family member’s secrets, grief, and insecurities. It’s definitely a character driven novel but one that kept me hooked and invested in how it would end!

Ng has a beautiful way of writing and telling stories. After reading this and previously, Little Fires Everywhere, I want to read everything she writes in the future!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Child death, Grief, and Infidelity

Moderate: Suicide, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Bullying

Minor: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Medical content

chloenk_1011's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Child death, Child abuse, Suicide, Racism, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death

bryelle's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

A girl goes missing and her body is found in a lake. Her family goes through grief trying to figure out what happened and coping with the lose of their loved one. 

This books has many themes of internal struggle. All the characters are going through their own journeys of what their lives are. 

Lydia, the girl who goes missing, wants to live up to her parents expectations. She pushes her self and only feels like she has her brother to support her. 
Nath, going away to Harvard soon, feels like he is in Lydia’s shadow. His father hit him when he is young and he can never look at him the same. 
Hannah, the baby that brought her mother back after she ran away to accomplish her dreams. No one pays attention to her, but she loves them all the same. 
Marilyn, wanted to be a doctor, but fell in love and got pregnant. She pushed her goals on her daughter Lydia. 
James, Asian man in a mostly white community. Always knows everyone is looking at him and his children.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Child death, Bullying, and Alcohol

Moderate: Outing

ambergogan's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

an amazing story about grief, family, and academics. anyone who has had other people’s hopes & dreams pushed onto them will love this book. 

the first half is a bit repetitive, but when you look through the lens of the family it makes perfect sense. this family is ruminating on the grief and trauma that comes with losing a child. the repetition only helps you empathize and enter their headspace. 

throughout this book i found pieces of myself in all of the siblings and fell in love with celeste’s writing style and flow. i would’ve loved a biiittt more closure/drama at the end but this book literally got me out of a reading slump so i’d call that a win!!!!! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Death

atalea's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child death, Xenophobia, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexism, Abandonment, Racism, Infidelity, and Racial slurs

Minor: Medical content, Alcohol, Bullying, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Violence, and Pregnancy

a_alves00's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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: Alcohol, Child death, Sexual content, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Bullying, Suicide, Abandonment, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, and Misogyny

melissathejan's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.0

Second time reading this and I forgot how much I loved it. I feel such sadness for the characters as they grieve and long for things they will never have, and feel close to them as they make mistakes and eventually try to learn from them and forgive one another.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Child death, Physical abuse, Racism, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Body horror