Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

378 reviews

matism's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Blood

Minor: Domestic abuse and Alcoholism

torismazarine's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Gore, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Dementia, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Rape, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Stalking, Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Vomit

gabertron's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Racism, and Domestic abuse

kynaeus's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

It's an interesting premise of suburban housewives vs evil, but my god what a journey that is HARD to recommend because of all the content warnings including one character's on-the-page description of being SA'd. Proceed with caution or steer clear as your safety requires.

This story has some good body horror going on throughout and the author's build-up of tension and atmosphere is excellent alongside a truly evil villain, and what really gets me is just how much evil is enabled by men. You know it's real when there's a supernatural villain out to get you but the most dangerous thing in the room are a group of enraged men with power and money.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Body horror, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Drug use

Big giant warning for the labels already given, but a very specific one pertains to an unexpected twist that will leave you in the middle of a scene where a pubescent teenager is being fed upon, and there's a relatively graphic description of their nakedness in a depiction of

child sexual assault

in all but name.

ariana3's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I was really excited to read this book, especially given the hype I've seen around it for so long. I was pretty disappointed in it, and I just don't think it was my kind of book. This is the first bloody horror book I've read, and it didn't mind that so much as the gaslighting, misogyny, and explicit descriptions of sexual violence. I think a book can be really good without all of that. I'm glad I gave it a shot, and I did read it pretty quickly (mainly because I was hoping it would turn around at the next chapter...).
Plot summary:

Set in this utopia-like southern town near Charleston, SC, weird occurrences start to happen when someone new moves in. Patricia, the main character, sees a man in need and with her southern hospitality helps him out. He immediately ingrains himself into the community, despite Patricia feeling weird about him and trying to make him leave. All of the men, including her terrible husband, gaslight the group of women friends into thinking it's just one of their true crime books affecting them. Turns out Patricia is right, and James Harris is a vampire and has lived for 400 years, and Mrs. Greene (the only person of color and of course the cleaner for the community) is the only one who believes her and wants to help. Gaslighting and misogyny continue, Patricia tries to kill herself because no one will listen. Several years go by and Patricia finds out her now teenage daughter is serving as a "food source" for James Harris, and her son is obsessed with him as well. James Harris attacks one of their friends, and they decide to kill him. Patricia serves as a sacrifice while the others knock him out, dismember him, and burn him/drop him down a pit where ashes are stored (I'm not super clear on if he's ashes or if the several bags that are his body are just down a big hole). Their friend dies and decides to be cremated so the "thing" that James Harris impregnated her with also dies. Things seem to go back to better situations, despite the community now being poor. Patricia thankfully wanted a divorce and the kids decide to live with her. I am glad it had a happier ending. I was waiting the entire time for the other shoe to drop, saying that James Harris found a way to continue living and that he'd be back for Patricia's kids or grandkids or something. But it didn't!! And I liked the little additional notes and letters at the end, I thought they were clever and a nice touch to the book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Violence, Child abuse, Rape, Gore, Child death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Dementia, Sexual violence, Body horror, and Blood

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death, Infidelity, Classism, and Excrement

Minor: Drug abuse, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, and Car accident

competitive_reading_is_a_sport's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

It had me shouting at the characters, which means I cared about their survival. A tribute to the strength of the overlooked woman. Can a group of Southern housewives take on a vampire, in spite of the obstacles posed by their husbands? Why do you even have to ask?!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Antisemitism, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

bookphilos's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Murder, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Drug use

Minor: Pedophilia

kypo's review against another edition

emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

3.75

This story kept me on my toes. It had a well developed plot and was not predictable. It was so nice to read a story about middle aged women being people and living their lives.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gore, and Rape

dynila's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Child abuse, and Child death

Minor: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Terminal illness

lord_trashcan's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

5.0

I read a lot of dark/thrillers but… dear god, I have never read anything that was so viscerally uncomfortable. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Violence, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Rape