Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry

38 reviews

alilovesbooks4170's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, and Lesbophobia

rorireads_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-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

3.0

As a book, Orpheus Girl is engineered to make queer people cry. And, I’ll admit, I did. 

I appreciated a lot of things about this book. The length meant it was quick to get through, and I fully believe I couldn’t have read any more. 

The writing was exquisite. I connected with down-to-earth Raya and her simple narration style. A story like this being encased within purple prose would have only deterred me, and covered up the incredibly important subject matter. 

However, this book presented this very black and white idea of queerness- gay, trans, or lesbian. And the one and only trans character we meet is a ‘scapegoat’ (I use that VERY LOOSELY) and is used to further the characters into their journeys.

All of the characters, in the time we knew them, felt very boiled down to their identities, which, in a way may be the point, but… I don’t know but characterisation could have been handled better.

All in all, Orpheus Girl is a deeply impactful story, and one that is wholly necessary. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Abandonment

asiamd's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

This book was short but I feel it did a great job of depicting the horrors of conversion therapy while also giving the readers hope for the main characters. I also loved the voice of the main character because it felt like I was with her experiencing these things with her and rooting for her to not give up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Transphobia, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Bullying, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

qcupquake's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Orpheus Girl
4.75/5

- wow. just wow.
- MAJOR TW for homophobia and transphobia bc oh my god
- i went into this thinking it wasn't gonna be that bad but as a queer kid with religious truama, that hit HARD.
- although i'm not a lesbian, i could definitely relate raya's experiences with hiding and religion to my own experiences such as being afraid of fire and brimstone.
- very quick read (although i procrastinated a lot)
- definitely not for the faint of heart bc this is gut-wrenching

- i hope sarah and raya got to new york and found a new life. they deserve it

- something is stopping me from making this 5 stars but i don't know what
- overall an amazing and heartbreaking book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Torture, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Deadnaming, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

Minor: Vomit

angel_kiiss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-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

4.0

super disturbing but with a happy ending (question mark?)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Car accident

leah_dawn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

genevieve_eggleston's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

This was an extremely intriguing novel. It definitely delves into sensitive subject matter and deals with severe homophobia, so approach it with caution if that’s triggering for you, but it’s also eye opening and inspirational.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Dysphoria

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy

ladyinverse's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring fast-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

I'm so goddamn gay holy shit I'm gonna go kiss my wife on her lips so hard i love my wife and I'm EMOTIONAL 

please read this please please please 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Torture, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, and Outing

eurydice_books_09's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

very good book! I read this because of the Greek mythology references and I’m not disappointed! this book is very deep and emotional though so big trigger warning on that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Transphobia, Blood, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

autumn_franks_03's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Transphobia and Suicide attempt