Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

475 reviews

mollyfy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism

memydogandbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

Simultaneously stunning and devasting!

What's it about?

Betty Carpenter, born to a Cherokee father and a white mother, grows up in a world of poverty and violence, finding solace in nature and her father’s stories. As she uncovers her family’s dark secrets, she turns to writing as a means of escape and healing

"Inspired by the life of her own mother, Tiffany McDaniel sets out to free the past by telling this heartbreaking yet magical story--a remarkable novel that establishes her as one of the freshest and most important voices in American fiction."

What did I think?

- This book is both beautiful and emotionally devastating.

- Betty's story and that of her parents and siblings are brutal, trauma trauma-filled but also littered with hope.

- It's a hard story to read, as it's unflinching in its dark themes of intergenerational abuse, racism, violence, trauma and more - it's relentless!  

- I'd say the raw brutality of this story is on par with stories such as A Little Life, but Betty is based on McDaniel's mother's life!

- Despite the trauma and emotional devastation, there are glimmers of hope and the magical world of Betty and her father Landon. One of Cherokee heritage and culture.

- McDaniel also tells the wonderfully rich, beautiful and tragic story of native Americans in Appalachia, her ancestors and her direct family.  I adored reading about the Cherokee culture and heritage of Landon and his family.

- This book packs in so much in every page: family history, historical fiction/fact, Cherokee culture & heritage, generational trauma and abuse, family bonds and hope, racism, classism, family secrets, and a full spectrum of non-stop emotions.

This book is beautiful, brutal and a masterpiece.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Violence, Medical trauma, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

status_woe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

5.0

I've often felt the weight of the lives led by the women who went before me, and that is what much of this book is about. Not always an easy read, but an amazing universal book. My favourite of the year so far. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Drug use

plnnn's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

5.0

i need therapy after this

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, and Rape

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

ellienj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Abortion

kelsey_eden's review against another edition

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

machenn's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Incest, Rape, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Pregnancy

lopru's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? No

2.5

I went into this book blind. The abuse situations and harshness of Betty and her family’s lives was hard emotionally to read. I think it paints an interesting narrative of generational trauma. Some of it was very reflective and self aware- and coming from the main (young) character- I personally felt it removed me from the story a bit due to it coming across very therapy informed. Anyone with a similar background may see themselves or their own family in this book. Despite the lightness and interwoven Native stories which were interesting and beautiful - the undercurrent was incredibly dark. I would not re-read which gives it the lower rating but I do know the themes will stick with me moving forward. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

dessweet23's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, and Abortion

aggielexi's review against another edition

DNF 40%. 
It's misery porn, one thing after another thing, after another with no breathers. I tried to read some other reviews to see if it's worth finishing, but the impression I am getting is no. Maybe it improves, but if it's just heartbreak after heartbreak, I'm not interested in reading that. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt