Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

374 reviews

mruds's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

a SOLID 5/5 — i got chills reading it. the concept of having “multiple people inside of you” really resonated with me — though i don’t relate to the latter, i’ve definitely experienced a lot of the emotions displayed within the book. 

the writing is powerful and evocative, and i think i’m going to struggle to find something better written than this. 

i’ll conclude this with this thought: the really scary parts of this aren’t what happens to ada (those are clearly EXTREMELY depressing and deserve TWs in their own right) but rather ada’s developing and deteriorating psychology. 

terrifying. i’ll be hard-pressed to find a psychological thriller better done than this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

zumpers's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Sexual content

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Eating disorder, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

hereforthefunofit's review against another edition

• 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? It's complicated

3.5

it's definitely interesting but i didn't really get that much from the book other than an intriguing concept and nice quotes. sometimes that it is enough, but it wasn't the case for me here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Rape

allygogo's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Suicide, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

wackydopamine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Eating disorder

megatronic's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-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

5.0

The freshwater book is beautiful and made me cry a bit. Coming to terms with one's alternative selves in their brain, as it seems implied that they're schizophrenic? Or at least that theme.
Accepting one's selves, liking girls and guys, not loving ones given body - in whole, because of feeling other-worldly, or godly, due to the selves.

Sometimes my own brain, My own thoughts, are hard to manage. My amygdala has been trying to keep me protected for so long (fight/flight/freeze) due to my cPTSD.. I have to remind myself I'm safe. It's okay to be present. I have to actively stay conscious to grow into the full potential of me that's buried inside because of fear and pain. 
And this book made me feel like I wasn't alone, in fighting with my own thoughts, fighting against my 'self.'

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Rape, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

lena_krysiak's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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: Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

Moderate: Blood, Dysphoria, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Death

alexdebello's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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

5.0

I’m at a loss for words after reading this book - trying to pin it down feels like an injustice. 

Emezi is a visionary, and is bringing to life unforeseen possibilities that run wild outside of boxes and pre-established norms for writers of color and writers at large. 

I cannot recommend this book enough, and personally plan on reading more of Emezi’s work as soon as possible. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Self harm, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Transphobia, Homophobia, Outing, and Child abuse

Minor: Dysphoria

leechspit's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Absolute poetry.  A journey with heartbreak and layers of complex thoughts and feelings. Ada is a beautiful character who goes through so much and we are blessed and cursed to read along.
The trauma and transition of Ada make you feel scared, and angry, and mad. I could read this book again and again losing myself in that raw feeling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Racism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

grebegirl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Rape, and Self harm