Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Penance by Eliza Clark

181 reviews

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.25

Dark, compelling narrative, which at times was difficult to read. Based on a story of 5 teenagers, 3 of whom torture and kill the 4th girl and the 5th girl falsely accused of being involved. It is also about the unreliable crocked narrator journalist who interviews those involved, researching the Internet, blogs, and fandoms writing about the murder, some of the writing factual, other parts a work of fiction. It was uncomfortable for me to read, which makes the rating very hard, as the book is so well written. It also made me consider the way in which things are reported, so I'm more likely to stick to fiction rather than glorified true crime reads.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, and Bullying

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Violence, Sexual assault, and Child abuse

e11en's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Toxic friendship, Child death, Gun violence, Bullying, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Drug use, Incest, and Suicide

Minor: Fatphobia, Ableism, and Homophobia

isabelromero's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.75

Very unique twist to horror/crime/ true-crime scene. Love the unreliable narrator. A lottttt of trigger warnings…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Body shaming, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Vomit

Moderate: Sexual assault

catherinerowland's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, and Murder

Moderate: Torture, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

rilakkumas's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Murder, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Bullying, Cursing, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Incest, Violence, Toxic friendship, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Death, Biphobia, and Blood

jen_prouvaire's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Torture, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Child death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Ableism, Alcohol, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Pandemic/Epidemic

audreybethc's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Incest, Torture, Murder, Pedophilia, and Rape

Minor: Animal cruelty

nastu's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Mental illness, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Blood

Minor: Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Biphobia, and Racism

pilarlopezleiva's review against another edition

dark funny informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Bullying, Mass/school shootings, Self harm, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Gore, Grief, Torture, Kidnapping, Child death, Death, Mental illness, and Suicide

obito's review against another edition

slow-paced

1.5

Had to rewrite my review after sitting on it. The more I think about this story the more I dislike it. Overall it's way too long for what it wants to accomplish, and that hurts the point the book was trying to make. The theme of exploitation and truth in true crime felt hypocritical after finding out that details of this fictional case were largely taken from the murder of Shanda Sharer. It actually puts a pretty bad taste in my mouth that a novel with attempts to interrogate the tactless exploitation of true crime ends up de-centering (and fictionalizing) real life victims and their families.

The story ends up being too unfocused to be a critique of the true crime genre. Themes of girlhood, bullying, and toxic female friendships could've been made more effectively in fewer pages. This novel should've been no more than 200 pages.

The attempt to recreate internet culture from a particular time were sometimes successful and often not. I wonder how much the inclusion of this element added to the text for those who haven't been chronically online or engaged in tumblr fandom.

Unfortunately, the execution of this book is extremely lacking. Its themes explored in far better novels. Obviously this is for some people, but just not for me. Boo

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Murder, Torture, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault