Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

15 reviews

toadtornado's review

dark fast-paced

2.0

2 stars for:
•An extremely unlikeable main character who faces no true consequences for her actions.
•The last half of the book is nothing but a girlboss power trip fantasy.  
•author repeats things mentioned in earlier chapters like it’s some big revelation when the MC has know canonically since chapter 5. Sloppy writing.

Daniel’s death made me cackle because of how stupid it was

Good things about the book:
•how she describes music and ballet is beautiful 
•has that fun trashy book quality that keeps you interested just because it’s bad

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Cancer, Blood, Misogyny, Cultural appropriation, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Car accident, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Abortion, and Pedophilia

temeade's review

emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

OMG! This book was amazing! The beginning was a little slow at the start however, there are little sprinkles of things that made me think, "wait what?" that appeared as though they were not going to be brought up again. I loved the details and the alternating timeline of telling the story. Kapelke-Dale kept my curiosity on it's toes through the many twists and turns of Delphine's life choices. Several times my mouth fell agape as I was shocked that not everyone is who they seem to be. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abortion, Addiction, Cursing, Cancer, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Infertility, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Murder

Minor: Vomit

miacorkum's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Death, Sexual content, Cancer, and Sexual assault

oh_neens's review

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Sexism

beth_s98's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Murder, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Terminal illness, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

our_bookish_reads's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0

I disliked this book so much!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Cancer, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

readingonfordearlife's review

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content, Abortion, Death, and Sexual harassment

rusty_moonshadow's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Grief, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Death of parent, Death, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Infertility, Alcoholism, Car accident, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Infidelity

Minor: Vomit

krys_kilz's review

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is beautifully written. I finished it in two sittings - even though the story was more of a slow burn, I couldn't put it down. The characters are rich and messy and their relationships are complex and multilayered - the book itself is a very character driven story, which I love. I also liked how the timeline jumped between the past and present.

I am still sitting with the intense symbolism of

Lindsay's dancing career coming to an end because of the dancer statue she, Delphine, and Margaux bought in their youth.

There are so many layers there.

I also thought the book offered a lot of dark and heartbreaking observations about femininity, patriarchal institutions and gendered violence. Though, at times these observations skewed towards cisheteronormativity and white feminism.

Overall, this book is an engaging exploration of friendships - how they change over time, how to make amends, and how we often see people as who we want them to be instead of who they actually are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Abortion, Alcoholism, and Cancer

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Miscarriage

mondovertigo's review

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Medical content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Misogyny, Infidelity, and Death of parent

Moderate: Murder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Grief, Pregnancy, Eating disorder, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Sexual violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts