Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

40 reviews

meghancolbert's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

5.0

Arundhati Roy’s writing is exquisite. She writes as if the plot is a block of marble that she is slowly chiseling away at. The story does not unfold in chronological order, and the narrative subtly switches between past and present (sometimes you have to pay attention to small details to know which decade you are in). Despite the constant shifting, I was never confused about what was happening or where the author was leading me. I could see the final masterpiece emerging from the block of marble bit by bit. Arundhati Roy paints an incredibly detailed and nuanced picture of generational trauma, family dysfunction, and the corrosive natures of jealousy, grief, and guilt. This is the story of fraternal twins Estha and Rahel, who have their childhood innocence violently stolen from them by the adults who were supposed to protect them. As adults, Estha and Rahel reunite and struggle to repair their once-inseparable bond. As they battle their demons, they make a remarkably destructive choice that endangers them both. 
I appreciate that Roy refused to sugar coat the devastating effects of trauma on the human psyche, and resisted the common temptation to force happy endings on her characters. This book will disturb and sadden you, but at the same time will prompt you to reflect deeply on human nature, love, rebellion, and free will. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Incest, Sexual assault, Racism, Grief, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual content

annatan's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Child death, Classism, Racism, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Grief

ebarnitt's review

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Emotional abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Death, and Gore

Minor: Incest

suzanneelsa's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny sad fast-paced

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

5.0

first reread in Dec 2023. 

I love this book with all that I’ve got. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Child abuse, Abandonment, Child death, Grief, Religious bigotry, Violence, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, and Torture

_rowan_'s review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, and Racism

johnatetheapple's review

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is black magic, its dark spell distills humanity into mere mortal words in a way that leaves you feeling speechless, uncomfortable, and utterly amazed. 

This book weaves a complex story of intertwined narratives which feed off each other. The disorganised way in which the story is revealed to us serves to put us in the same mental haze the characters no doubt live through, suspended between the past and the present, their demons haunting them around every corner.

This book genuinely changed something inside of me, and it has rightfully earned the spot amongst the most remarkable book I’ve ever read in my life. 

The book has a slow-pace, with the events unfolding leisurely. The author pulls you into many worlds and many perspectives in quick succession, and I was fascinated with the journey. I followed her through these numerous portals with the utmost pleasure. But fair warning that it may at times be disorienting, and at others completely overwhelming, so I don’t recommend reading this book all at once or very quickly. Pace yourself. 

I feel like I was genuinely pulled into the world of Ayemenem, with its grief and love and laughter. Speaking of, this books was surprisingly funny, which is not something I’ve noticed any reviews I read mention. Yes, it is poignant and life-changing and harrowing, but it’s also hilarious at times, which caught me unawares. 

I feel like I know these people intimately, and if I could only have one complaint it’s that I wish we saw more of Velutha especially, and more of adult Rahel and Estha, because I feel like I was starving for more of them but was left mostly hungry. 

All in all, this book should be read by everyone and taught in schools, studied in universities. I am ready to write a 70-page dissertation on it.

I am genuinely tempted to bulk order copies of this book and simply begin handing them out to everyone I know. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death, Sexual violence, Sexism, Rape, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Classism, Child death, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Misogyny, and Murder

ile94's review

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Child death, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Incest

ctmy04's review

challenging dark emotional slow-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

5.0

amazing message and spectacular portrayal of a deeply generationally traumatized family in malayam, india. tackles very hard topics and strong emotions, not for the weak-hearted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Death, and Infidelity

jeslis's review

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

Notes:
- Extraordinarily clever writing, absolutely top notch of the books I've ever read before. Returning to previous sentences and motifs in a new context to add layers of meaning was mind-blowing to read.
- Quite slow paced, I felt like every time I read 20 pages I lived about 500 lifetimes. And yet the effect  definitely matched the book really well, I just prefer faster paced books to read in general.
- Overall just extremely clever and emotive — speaks volumes to the writing talent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Incest

r0ry_'s review against another edition

slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

What on gods green earth was that. 
Incest porn is not my thing tbh. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Child death, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Incest, Emotional abuse, and Police brutality