Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

87 reviews

galoshes's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-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

5.0

I'd picked up this book at the library, opened to the first page, and put it back on the shelf and looked for something else. Nothing else seemed particularly interesting, so I picked this up again and checked it out. I had no idea what it was about.

Sometimes I loved it. Sometimes I hated it. Sometimes I wondered why certain paragraphs were included at all. Now having finished it, I think I get what it was supposed to mean.

It's a huge stretch to say this character would spend so much time and energy researching when she hasn't even finished reading yet. It's like stopping halfway through a movie to run out and search the library for what happens next. The entire book, the character of Ruth (she wrote herself in as a character? By the end I wonder if this was another layer) makes no sense. And then she does. I think.

There are some horrifying scenes and subjects in this book I wasn't prepared for. I got emotional at times. Sometimes I talked out loud to the book, responding to it. Sometimes I just wondered what the point was. And then we got to the point and I don't know what to feel about it. Anyway I'd read it again. I might have to.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Rape, and Bullying

nkmustdie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Animal death, Cancer, Death of parent, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Violence, Torture, Vomit, War, Body shaming, Bullying, Dementia, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Torture, Vomit, War, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Chronic illness, Cancer, Body shaming, Rape, Violence, Death, Animal death, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Hate crime, Medical content, Sexual content, Abandonment, Blood, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Suicide, Racism, and Racial slurs

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Cancer, Classism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Child death, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Excrement, and Terminal illness

elaivi's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

lilpotatobird's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

sglance9's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, War, Death, Violence, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Suicide, Dementia, and Vomit

Minor: Rape

kmae314's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

this book is about everything!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual violence, Self harm, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts

juliatsang's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Grief, Bullying, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Physical abuse, Mental illness, and Death

Moderate: Abandonment and Adult/minor relationship

wytherwytch's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.75

Really enjoyed this book. The whole things with words disappearing was a little weird but I still really enjoyed it

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Death, Dementia, War, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Alcohol

vegotter's review against another edition

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Sexual assault, Death, Rape, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Trafficking, Torture, Bullying, Sexual content, and Pedophilia

aposthuma's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

This book left me with a LOT of thoughts. I think I'm rating it 3.5 stars. I didn't care much about Ruth's POV and thought it was pretty slow, but Nao's parts were incredibly thought-provoking, bringing up themes like time, mortality, and permanence. Fair warning, this book is DARK. Far darker than i went in expecting

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Dementia, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide