Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

46 reviews

heather_c_w's review

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Beautifully written. Hard to read at times with the subject matter. I found it tricky to follow and get the gist at points, as the narrative switches perspectives and time frames a lot. But things generally became a bit clearer towards the end as the timelines merged - and this actually reflects that clarity that comes to the characters in adulthood in comparison to their childhood understanding.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Classism and Racism

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

selimhannah's review

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Murder, Child death, Classism, Death, Violence, Police brutality, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Racism, Abandonment, Incest, Body shaming, Violence, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Animal death, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Car accident, Body shaming, Colonisation, Confinement, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Fatphobia

rosibook's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Murder, Hate crime, Racism, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Abandonment, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: 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

machenn's review

emotional reflective sad slow-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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Violence, Child death, Death, and Police brutality

franzis_buecher's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

4.0

Von Anfang an hat mich der besondere Schreibstil dieses Buchs fasziniert und auch die nicht lineare Erzählweise. Auch die verschiedenen Charaktere und ihre Geschichten und Sichtweisen waren sehr interessant. Besonders, wie die Autorin es schafft, aus der Sicht von Kindern zu schreiben und wie sie die Welt verstehen, hat sich bei mir eingeprägt.

Der Clou an dem Buch: Man weiß schon nach ein paar Seiten, was geschehen wird, aber nicht, wie genau und warum. Diese Fragen zogen mich weiter durch die Geschichte, jedoch wurde ich in der zweiten Hälfte des Buchs dann etwas ungeduldig und hatte das Gefühl, dass es sich zog. Allerdings liegt das auch daran, dass ich das Buch nicht in einem Rutsch sondern immer nur in kurzen Ausschnitten gelesen habe und dadurch irgendwann das Gefühl entstand, dass ich nie fertig werden würde :D

Außerdem gab es leider gegen Ende eine Szene, die ich überhaupt nicht mochte.

(mit den Zwillingen in der Gegenwart). Ich hätte viel lieber mehr darüber herausgefunden, warum Rahel manchmal Dinge sieht, die es gar nicht gibt, oder ob Estha und Rahels telepathische Verbindung irgendwie eine Rolle spielt bzw im Kontext des Buchs real ist? Stattdessen wird ihre Geschichte so beendet, und ich weiß schon, dass es insgesamt um verbotene Liebe und Tabubrüche geht, aber dieser eine Aspekt hat mir trotzdem nicht gefallen und empfand die Szene als unnötig.

Aufgrund dieser Szene und dadurch, dass es sich in der zweiten Hälfte für mich persönlich so gezogen hat, kann ich dem Buch leider doch nicht die 5 Sterne geben, von denen ich am Anfang des Lesens überzeugt war.

Dafür hat aber das letzte Kapitel vieles wieder wett gemacht. Auf genau dieses Kapitel hatte ich die ganze Zeit gewartet und war schon enttäuscht, dass zu dieser Geschichte fast nichts kam außer das ganze tragische Drumherum. Aber das letzte Kapitel war einfach nur wunderschön und ein gelungener Abschluss für dieses besondere Buch.

Jetzt muss ich aber erstmal etwas weniger trauriges und tragisches lesen ...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Pedophilia

Minor: Incest and Classism

hannah_cogo's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Murder, Police brutality, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Incest