Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Lightness by Emily Temple

6 reviews

cait_henry56's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.75

This book is like the feminine Fight Club, which I mean as both a compliment and an insult. It reminds me of a line from Lucy Corin that paraphrased claimed that men explode outward to kill others while women explode inward, killing themselves. The book is full of angst, transporting the reader back to being 15 and hating everything about yourself and the world around you. This was so close to a five star read for me, but the book meandered for too long between time jumps and slathering page after page with vague foreshadowing. It also doesn't have much warmth or hearth, but them again, what tale of feminine rage does?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Bullying, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Child abuse

Minor: Death of parent

Multiple adult/minor relationships.

below_average_baker's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Domestic abuse, Death, Alcohol, Suicide, Sexual violence, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Fatphobia

befnie's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, and Suicide

2kerrymehome's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.25

If We Were Villains and Secret History but replace Shakespeare or Classics with pretentious buddhists with a warped, pretentious understanding of the religion. 

The detachment from reality didn't immerse me in the world of this story, it removed me from it. The characters all talk in parables and have insane motivations that the people around them acquiesce to. Its not just that theres no world I can imagine where enough starvation would encourage you to

put period blood in your hot gardener's lunch

but theres no world I can imagine where everyone would agree to it on the bullshit principle that it will help you fly. The writing style was so poetic it takes you a second to adjust to the actual events that are happening between copious asides about the death of Saint Theresa or crying women mountains. And those events are so confusing to me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

shel_conn's review

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

This is exactly my type of book—a distinct voice, witty asides, about women and culture and belonging. I absolutely loved the writing and found that the POV of the narrator looking back on her teenage years worked perfectly here. There was an honesty in Olivia's thoughts that can be hard to achieve, but Temple executes the story flawlessly. I loved this one (and that cover is just *chef's kiss*).

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Death

Minor: Physical abuse, Alcohol, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Toxic friendship

stevie's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Violence