Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton

47 reviews

tayterchip's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Drug use, and Domestic abuse

booksforsarah'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

3.0

I had trouble with this books pacing. At times there was intense actions scenes where I couldn’t put the book down, and then other times there was literally pages of internal monologue that had me nodding off. I think if the pace was a bit more consistent I would have enjoyed the reading experience a lot more. 

I can definitely appreciate the good writing, it probably just isn’t the book for me and that’s okay. 

As an Australian though, I loved it. I loved seeing references to Australian slang and brands and places ect and seeing my home country so explicitly represented 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

ardour's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

praises the police!

angelica02's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Gore

avgastright's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful slow-paced

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

4.0

Wowzas. This was one of those undeniably excellent books that I feel will one day be studied in high schools across the globe. It discusses the burden of choices, the cyclical nature of losing, light in dark moments, crime, drugs, morality, and growing up decent despite the world demanding suffering. Brothers Eli and August were perfect. Quirky, desperate, and altogether good. Lyle was tragic. Warm, kind, and stuck in a life he wanted nothing but out of. Slim was unforgettable. Fatherly, wise, and, in spite of his past, good at heart. I especially loved what he had to say about “good” and “bad” people. Something like ‘we’re all good and we’re all bad. It’s only a matter of what we choose to do. And there is always always always a choice.’ And Robert was the perfect case study in Slim’s theory. 

My only complaints:
a) I felt that Eli fell victim to what I call “The Scout Effect,” as in when a young child is far wiser than their years and therefore their “coming of age” is ruined because they’re “coming” from wisdom already. 
b) I felt that the story was so powerful because while for me, at least, being surrounded by an international crime ring is difficult to imagine, it managed to humanize a fantastical situation. However, some elements of the story, particularly the conclusion, edged too far into the fantastical to be believable, which kind of took me out of the story. I’ll leave it at Broz’s story got a little too Batman villain-y for me to fully maintain my suspension of disbelief. 


Overall, I thought this was brilliant, powerful, funny, emotional, and a wonderful first read of the year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Body horror

Moderate: Violence and Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcoholism and Death

ellen_nicholson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Drug use, Blood, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Alcohol, Car accident, Cursing, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Addiction, and Domestic abuse

georgiaknight's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Violence

babelfish98's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Violence

quirkyaquarian's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

Trent Dalton has created a phenomenal Australian contemporary fiction. I was enthralled by this story in the same way a person reads crime articles in the morning newspaper - morbidly curious, upset at what the world has come to, while deep down knowing “it could’ve been me”. 

The narrative of Eli Bell’s life and family from his young perspective felt deeply tragic and profoundly meaningful in its innocent childlike tenacity. The juxtaposition of his rambling and detail-oriented storytelling nature with his mute and seemingly omnipotent brother was expertly designed. Dalton weaves his magic in a way that leaves you questioning time and space itself.

I felt too much of myself relate to this story; perhaps not with the minute details, but it still left me shaken at witnessing my thoughts, feelings, and experiences written into words. I thank Trent Dalton deeply for capturing one of the truest and most raw Australian experiences, and for creating Eli Bell to lead it all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

bookivore's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a beautifully written book, which was essential for this to be an enjoyable read. Why? It's big. It feels like it's bigger than it needs to be. Even though there's always plenty happening, the core plot progresses slowly. It does snowball gradually, but there are a lot of digressions. It all adds up to the overall story but if the writing hadn't been so good, it would have been excessive. 
I did enjoy this. I do think, however, that you need to be Australian to really get a lot of the content. It's always good to get an authentic Australian story, but overseas readers won't understand a lot of references.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Violence