Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Mad Honey by Jennifer Finney Boylan, Jodi Picoult

136 reviews

madisonlcollins0917's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Transphobia, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Violence

kathrynshields's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

The story started strong but meandered in a way that didn’t serve the plot or character development.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Transphobia, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Self harm, Outing, Mental illness, Abortion, and Deadnaming

Minor: Animal death, Dysphoria, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

The story addresses transphobia and intimate partner violence at length, but does not promote either.

alexandramiller's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Learned an awful lot about bees

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Outing, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Misogyny, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Self harm, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Violence, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Police brutality, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity and Mass/school shootings

sariereads's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Violence, Death, Homophobia, Bullying, Child death, Outing, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Transphobia

amesnotamy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Medical trauma, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Body shaming, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Violence

londeen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Outing, Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, Misogyny, Dysphoria, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Murder, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Deadnaming, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Transphobia

daniellereadslikealot_'s review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Nineteen Minutes is my absolute favorite Picoult novel and this one is a very, VERY close second. Mad Honey absolutely sweeps you away in its part contemporary family drama, part murder mystery and part young adult story. I am an absolute sucker for multiple POVs and a non linear timeline and this book did them both so well, giving us just enough to make us think we know the story, but then revealing something else to completely throw us off the scent. It’s hard to talk about this book without revealing spoilers for the midway through twist, but I thought the handling of that topic was done beautifully and in a really authentic way. I also loved the look at complicated relationships, even during the parts that were really sad to read. I thought both Olivia and Lily had strong voices and I liked the (maybe) symbolism of the literal (and figurative) masks they wore, Lily with her fencing and Olivia as a beekeeper. My only complaint was the ending felt a bit rushed. The final big reveal made perfect sense and it was honestly an option I was rooting for, but once revealed, it felt like everything just went back to normal. But overall, I loved this book. It’s brutal at times in many different ways and contexts, but I think it’s a very necessary read, especially these days.

Mini spoiler: nothing bad happens to the dog!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Mental illness, Child death, Transphobia, Abortion, Bullying, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal death

violetbentbackwards1036's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Misogyny, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Abortion, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Deadnaming, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Outing, and Violence

professorfrog's review against another edition

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

She set out what she meant to do, and I enjoyed (and cried over) every part!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia and Physical abuse

Moderate: Violence, Suicide attempt, and Bullying

Minor: Alcoholism

jamiee_f's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

Loved this book. All the best parts of Jodi Picoult novels, legal drama, murder mystery, intrigue, social drama, plus the beautiful narrative with the bees. Picoult is excellent at writing high school drama and capturing all of the ensuing complicated relationships, and the story of Lily is so tragic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse