Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

15 reviews

sshammyss's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Self harm, Trafficking, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Torture, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

phoricho's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I initially rated this book 4 stars, but after a couple of months of it living rent-free in my mind, I decided to change that to a 5 star. My original rating was more due to the fact that this book left me not knowing how to feel. It was so different from anything I've ever read, both in content and layout. 

Content-wise, it's a very dark book, and the characters go through numerous traumas. It's not for everyone. Check the trigger warnings.

Layout-wise, there are no chapters. That's unique, but it works with the story. There are two parts, and the POVs are broken up by section breaks. 

Yes, it's a horrifying story, but I thought it was beautifully told, and the characters felt so real. I'm excited to read the rest of the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Stalking, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Rape, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Torture, Trafficking, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

sarahcrowell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

Check trigger warnings before reading. Dark concept but a great book overall.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Confinement, Death, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, and Vomit

jasminewolfe's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.5

This is a very challenging read since it touches on some very traumatic themes and actions. I found that they way the author unfolds the story and utilizes the unique voice of the main character to be an admirable way to speak on such difficult things.

It's easy for me to be turned off from any story which involves female pain because so often it is done for shock factor or as a means to push forth a man's storyline or character development. However, the reality is that women experience a myriad of trauma due to their gender, and to avoid ever writing about wouldn't serve us either.

Dot Hutchison does a wonderful job of creating complex characters who are flawed and beautiful, and through their eyes we are able to digest the horrors of this book alongside the triumphs. So, while the plot might be one hindering on the suffering of girls, the lesson we learn is about love, family and sisterhood.

I loved this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Torture, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Kidnapping, and Murder

christyjoreads's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Very engaging.  This had so many disturbing moments. It was interesting how the gardner could justify what he was doing and how he felt entitled to the beauty of women.  It is horrifying to realize that (some) men think beauty and sex seemed to be owed to them.....

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Slavery

cait's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Abandonment, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Torture

juliaaa02's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Kidnapping, Rape, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Minor: Abandonment, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Pregnancy

roguesaw's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Torture, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Minor: Gun violence and Pregnancy

jjenkins's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This is a very dark thriller told from an FBI investigator’s perspective and a victims perspective as they investigate a horrible tragedy involving the kidnapping, abuse, and murder of girls. The writing was stunning and the story unfolded in a very unique way

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual violence

b00murded's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Ending of the book felt very rushed. I personally did not like some of the ways the author decided to take the ending of the novel. This book has very dark content TW include: violence against women, harsh language, drug use, sexual assault.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Stalking, Suicide, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Toxic relationship