Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

La anomalía by Hervé Le Tellier

75 reviews

nmirra's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious 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

4.25

Fast-paced and aware of itself, The Anomaly reads like a mixture of the TV show Lost and If On A Winter's Night A Traveler. The author does an impressive job of efficiently building different characters' emotional landscapes, with only a few of the 12 characters coming off as cliché outlines. One issue common in speculative fiction is that, when something impossible happens, the whole world in the story has the same reaction. This book gets around that issue by taking the time to show many characters' reactions to the same impossible moment. This grounds the book by depicting the wide range of possible human responses; you can more easily find yourself in that crowd.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault and Child abuse

parablesarah's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

It really is as good as they say.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Homophobia, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Hate crime, Suicide, and Incest

quotes_with_a_quill's review against another edition

inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

This book is not one I would have chosen, but one that will stay with me. One of the few I will order for my shelf. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Minor: Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Incest, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, and Terminal illness

The (s)child abuse is description brief and not graphically written. The scene is implicitly implied without graphic description- ie disassociation. Again brief. From someone whom experienced nearly a replica of the characters it was triggering and yet validating to a degree. It is an accurate portrait of disassociation. It’s brevity is unlikely to trigger those who do not have a history of this, though that is speculative. I would not have read this book had I known it was in here, but I will reread it even though I know it is there. I only listened to the audiobook, but when I receive my print copy I will update this with page number. It is truly a paragraph of disassociation and the only one that was personally triggering to me. ( I wish I could leave an emoji of hearts and hugs if you’ve had this experience. Just know this is written w that in mind.)

arantzazum's review against another edition

emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, and Gun violence

Moderate: Homophobia

_kathill's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Murder

lyko100's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

First of all, this book has some triggers in it so it may not be for everyone and I’ll try to list those triggers in this comment - without spoilers. 

At the beginning we learn about various characters who are of different age and each of them with a completely different story. We somewhat get to know them, see their flaws and later in the book we observe how those characters change and adapt to weird and indescribable circumstances. We see the characters observe their own behavior in a analytical type of way, and change their own behavior based on what they saw. 

The book touches various topics: from child harassment, through homosexuality in orthodox parts of Africa to metaphysical existential debate. 

Hard to say more about it without spoiling anything, overall a very good book with a rather predictable ending - hence 4/5. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Homophobia, Murder, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

mary_blueye8's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective medium-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

A book that is not what it seems. Surprising, challenging, unexpected, mind-opening. It will keep me up at night. Brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse

nargott's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Murder, Gore, and Sexual assault

srhpthr's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Suicide

lemonmeringuepie's review against another edition

challenging mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide, and Cancer