Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

5 reviews

killmoore_'s review

dark sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

This is one of the most gut wrenching books I have ever read. Just about every twist and turn absolutely wrecked me, and my heart broke for Annie with every chapter. 

I'd give anything to read it for the first time again, ngl. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

crushedvelvet's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

CW: Contains multiple scenes of graphic sexual assault.

Still Missing is a difficult read. It follows a 32 year old realtor named Annie as she navigates the trauma from being held captive for a year. Told through a series of therapy sessions, we weave between past & present. Reliving the harrowing events that changed her & watching her fight to pick up the pieces. 

The plot adheres to genre conventions for the most part. An example being the archetypal predator with an Oedipus complex. The one way it does diverge is what makes it a cut above the rest. This book doesn't pretend everything is over once victim escapes. It shows the elusive, non-linear reality of the healing process. And that a large part of it is grieving the person you were before trauma changed you. All in all not bad.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Confinement, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Stalking, Death of parent, Car accident, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Cancer

cateyeschloe's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book, despite it being a thematically difficult read.

The story opens on a normal day with our main character, and she honestly wasn’t super likeable to me at the start (my opinion of which did improve as much as it could as the book progressed). However, the story pretty much immediately jumps into her kidnapping, and it gets very intense very fast. 

I cannot stress enough how pervasive and horrifying the misogyny is in this book! It is integral to the plot, but parts are really difficult to stomach. 

Overall, this was a really interesting story, and I enjoyed the perspective the author used to present it. The twists were engaging and interesting with an ending that satisfied me nicely! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexism, Misogyny, Death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Stalking, Violence, Car accident, Confinement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fatphobia, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence

Rape is very pervasive in this book, as well as the after effects of it.

The abuse is very intense and focuses heavily on psychological manipulation, along with physical abuse.

Child abuse and child death is a big, extremely tragic and upsetting part of this book, involving a weeks old infant.

Forced pregnancy happens due to kidnapping, confinement, and continuous rape.

A lot of examples of PTSD, panic attacks, anxiety, paranoia, etc. are present throughout.

Someone shoots a duck in the head. A deer is killed off scene and then on page is gutted. A scene is described of someone hitting a cat with a car.

hapikohw's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

 Gave it a 4 star review with a 5 star audio performance by the narrator. Was fast-paced, emotional and reminded me of a good version of a Lifetime movie. At the beginning, I was concerned with how I was going to take the protagonist, but by the end all I wanted to do was be there for her and never leave the story and her side. It also had a bittersweet ending, one of hurt, but also new beginnings and a journey for healing. The only thing is I don't think the retelling through therapy sessions did anything for this story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Rape, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Violence

ekmook's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Misogyny, Child death, Torture, Stalking, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Confinement, Blood, Animal death, Sexual content, Sexism, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Violence, Sexual violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Car accident