Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

11 reviews

pink_peony's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.75

*sigh*

So. When I read twilight the first time (when I was younger) I remember being team Edward. But now that I’m older, and Edward creeps me out, and I read this book, I seriously wish Bella had stayed with Jacob. Not that he’s great but, compared to Edward, in my opinion, she could have had a more stable and less mentally warping relationship. 

Now that I’m older, especially in this book, Bella’s unhealthy infatuation with Edward really unsettles me. 

The way she acts after he leaves it’s almost too similar to an unhealthy obsession or attachment. It’s disturbing how she goes into this catatonic state and becomes so depressed (and even suicidal) that she not only shuts out everyone else in her life, but also seeks out to harm herself if it would give her a brief image of him. The fact that she had night terrors and nightmares, or that she became a sort of a zombie it’s extremely concerning. She basically became a shell of herself. And yes, breakups are hard, but it was almost like in Bella’s case it’s not the end of a relationship but of an obsession. They made it seem like she would never get better or be happy without Edward, that she cannot exist without him. That’s NOT good. That’s unhealthy and she needs therapy.) Bella’s and Edward’s comparison to Romeo and Juliet is even more alarming, especially when Edward tells her he would literally unalive himself if she dies. This is not a romantic relationship or healthy. The fact that is framed as one is what worries me.

However, when she was with Jacob, I liked that she was truly smiling again. It wasn’t a relationship that felt obsessive or codependent, it felt safe and even warm. I could see Bella having an opportunity of having a stable and healthy relationship that had both friendship and commitment in it without any obsession or unhealthy infatuation. Jacob wasn’t perfect, but boy he wasn’t like Edward at all. Far from it. 

However, even still, I have to say that the only thing standing in the way is Bella. She herself would have to realize all of this and how her relationship with Edward is affecting her mentally and emotionally. In a way, she seems to be drawn to self destructive behavior and that’s extremely alarming. The fact that she confuses her obsession with love is even worse, and her choosing Edward again feels like her just going back to continue this codependent cycle of infatuation.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

stindex's review against another edition

adventurous

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

0.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Grief

macliffe's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

1.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Gore

ptitirodactyle's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Blood, Racism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: War

tiana_king's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail

chloevienna's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.25

as much as i hate stephanie meyer and certain aspects of her books, they’re always going to have a special/nostalgic place in my heart. team edward >>

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Car accident, Cursing, Death, and Violence

merah's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, and Self harm

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Racism, Torture, and Violence

pinkfawn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

2.0

I really don't have the spoons to go too far in depth about this one. It's just not great. Middle school me got in trouble for reading this in the back of Orchestra during class, but late 20's me had trouble motivating myself to even think about reading this.

There is so much gaslighting and it feels like it comes from everyone in Bella's life. There's so many things that could have been so easily solved if she and Edward could just communicate but, as always, its just a little too much to ask of these two teens.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Blood, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Toxic friendship

elizlizabeth's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

3.0

10/10 would read this again exclusively for the Jacob chapters. Those dialogue bits between him and Bella are some of the best things to ever come out of the whole saga.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Gaslighting

shonavtj's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexism