Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

El Instinto by Ashley Audrain

59 reviews

angelafeng's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-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

3.75

interesting book, but it felt like it dragged on for a while of the same type of stuff. It does make you think and reflect about motherhood and also just what is really the truth. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Pregnancy

ashlyreadsevrythg's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

vikidoki's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

this was an interesting read. normally this wouldn’t be a book that I would read but I’m glad I read it. it shows a whole different perspective on motherhood and it a book that will make you speechless and stay with you for a while. I will probably think about this book every day at least especially before I will decide if I want to become a mother. this book feels unbelievably important and I’m glad that I read it since it’s dark and tens and questioning but also so heartachingly grotesque.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Minor: Blood

keijiwolf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Excrement, Dementia, Car accident, and Abortion

imogenreads77's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Blood, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

seawarrior's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense

4.0

I was a little reluctant to read this book because of the subject matter, but it really blew me away. This is not so much a thriller as it is a meditation on motherhood and how generations of people are haunted and harmed when domestic cruelty goes excused. Audrain's writing is direct, insightful and striking. She does not overtly tell the reader how to interpret her themes, but makes it impossible not to empathize with and understand  Blythe's decisions, fears, and grief. Even though many of the events in this book were harrowing, I stayed glued to the pages and deeply engaged in Blythe's life. The formatting of this novel, where Blythe's husband is referred to as "you", added an intimacy to the story that I had never experienced before. I was left thinking about the meaningful rage of this book for days afterwards, and will probably read it again so I can dwell on themes I missed the first time.

I would highly recommend The Push to others, especially those interested in child development and motherhood. Audrain excellently presents a mother who is flawed and feels antagonized by her child without resorting to excusing abusive behavior as some stories critiquing motherhood unfortunately do. Instead Audrain's work displays the reality of generational abuse, how it burrows into people who will never know their family's originally terrorizer, littering hurt and distance even through relationships where those involved are aiming not to make their parents' mistakes. This is an honest, gutting look at an intimate violence that when neglected, affects our society as a whole. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

anamaria427'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? Yes

5.0

Doloroso. Impresionante. Aterrador. ¡Qué lectura por favor!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Mental illness, Dementia, Grief, and Abandonment

snitcl's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Bullying

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual violence, Dementia, and Mass/school shootings

sunsetcity's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail