Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

21 reviews

theunfinishedbookshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Death, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Animal death, Alcohol, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Pregnancy, Vomit, Fatphobia, and Ableism

gdeltoro's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.25

While beautifully crafted, it was emotionally a tough read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Physical abuse

carlytenille's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Drug use, Homophobia, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, and Grief

cristinaaa's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Alcoholism

anjani's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense slow-paced

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

2.75

Exasperatingly long - I wish this were about 200-250 pages shorter. Did like the storyline and multiple viewpoints, but again the excessive amount of pages took away from it. 
And I think everyone who read this book can agree that Imelda’s viewpoint was excruciating to read because of the lack of punctuation, however I found her section to be the most gripping. Dickie’s section was so incredibly dull.
Could have been so much better if not for the above mentioned criticism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Sexual assault

misscaitie's review

challenging dark 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

1.5

Barely finished it. 600 pages of misery

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Infidelity, Cursing, Stalking, Death, and Dementia

Minor: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Addiction, and Biphobia

cmclarabee's review

1.5

It’s always hard to take when I don’t like a book that has gotten near universal acclaim, but this one is beyond the beyond. I forced myself to finish it, but am not really glad that I did. Unremittingly grim with positively operatic high drama at the end. Was the writing good? There was so much too much of it that I don’t even know.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Physical abuse and Alcoholism

torihope98's review

emotional reflective tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Homophobia, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Antisemitism, Animal death, Infidelity, Dementia, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Pedophilia

stephenhunsaker's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.75

Paul Murray you have made me question if I can’t read. Who knew leaving all punctuation, including periods, out of writing would make it soooo damn hard to understand. 

This book is truly one of the bleakest books I have read and utterly destroys any semblance of hope for people and society. It’s a hard read, one with no resolution to grasp on to for relief, just empty darkness. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Physical abuse, and Outing

Moderate: Stalking and Homophobia

risemini's review

challenging dark funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Dementia, Alcoholism, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Death, Infidelity, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Alcohol, and Physical abuse