Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure

10 reviews

jo_d's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

The characters are so real, so human. A young teenage girl acts like a young teenage girl and it is heartbreaking and beautiful. 
I liked it. It's not a story on morality, or how to act properly, it's a story of three interesting people tied into a dysfunctional family. They're all liars and hurting and imperfect and don't often say the right thing and it's honest

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Child death, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Self harm, War, Suicide, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Grief, and Death

Minor: Abortion

jennikreads's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

kwahl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Rape

Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Sexism

Minor: Addiction

amy_park's review against another edition

hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

Read this via audio and I enjoyed it. A dual perspective novel of a coming of age, teenage American Chinese girl and her Chinese stepdad living in Shanghai. Many themes were explored in this book, I.e identity, hope, West vs East culture, "American dream", ambition vs reality etc. An interesting look on immigration and culture. 
Some may argue this book explores too many themes, which I agree slightly. I think this book packs alot in, with many areas brushed upon and not explored as much as I would like.
I enjoyed the Alva sections more but did like to hear the backstory of Lu Fang, but towards the end his sections were rushed alot, as I think the author wanted to include alot of the history in China in these sections, but didn't pay off due to length
This book has alot of content warnings, so would suggest a review if dark themes trigger.  Overall would recommend (especially audio).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, Self harm, Drug use, and Death

baileyanabella's review

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.5

Not a bad book, just not really my favorite type of story. This is a portrait of two characters lives, a deep look at the intricacies of their personalities. But I didn't find them particularly interesting or relatable characters, so this unfortunately just didn't hit for me. The setting was interesting and not one I've seen much of before so I did have fun with that and it kept me intrigued when the story didn't. Overall just left me feeling sad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Minor: Animal cruelty, Self harm, and Animal death

adoras's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Colonisation, Sexual assault, and Classism

bridget_h's review against another edition

dark informative sad slow-paced

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

3.25

I thought the writing and structure of this book was great. However, the three main characters were all so one sided and there really wasn't anyone else to balance things out. It got tired at some point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Self harm

katiecat22's review against another edition

4.25

This is a beautifully written story that explores topics of colonialism, governmental control of citizens, class, and a mother-daughter relationship. I am so impressed this is a debut and will definitely read her next book. The dual POVs and multiple timelines/time jumps add such a richness to the story. By exploring multiple characters and timelines, readers can experience parts of China from the cultural revolution’s long-lasting effects and parts of modern China today around the 2008 crash. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

sarahsthoughtsonbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Child death, and Racism

Moderate: Racism, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child death, and Abandonment

bookreviewswithkb's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

thank you partner @bibliolifestyle and @williammorrowbooks for the gifted copy! 

so. much. melancholy. this book is dark and gloomy. it’s a meditation on home, on a sense of belonging, on family and identity embedded within a historical context of China from the mid-80s through the great recession. i think the author is reaching for an understanding of the lengths we will go to in order to be seen, to feel wanted

all of the characters are unlikeable and some of the scenes made my skin crawl! this is not a book that made me cry, but it was emotional. it made me so uncomfortable and i think that was part of the point 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Alcoholism