Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

41 reviews

annaavian's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

In "The Crane Husband," Kelly Barnhill reimagines the traditional Japanese folktale "The Crane Wife" for a modern Western audience through a devastating dark fantasy that explores domestic violence, cycles of abuse, fear of abandonment, and the exploitation of women. While staying true to the core theme of the original folklore - the mistreatment of women by men - Barnhill introduces additional layers of complexity and insight. However, the protagonist does not alter the story's ending from tragic to uplifting. Despite the crane's demise, nothing is truly salvaged.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Violence

vigil's review

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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

spektriva's review

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I expected this to be an impactful read from what I'd heard about but it still surprised me with how much it touched me.

The crane and magical realism employed are an excellent tool to explore abuse and the cycles that perpetuate it, as well as how strong of an impact this has on children that witness it, even if they are not direct victims of it themselves. Beyond this, I was even more affected by how the story also has an honest look into how putting undue responsibility on the shoulders of a child robs them of their childhood and stunts their emotional growth. And though you feel so much frustration and resentment towards the mother, you also can't help but empathize and pity her as a victim of her history and patterns of behavior. 

The writing is gorgeous and evocative, particularly when describing the mother and her art, as well as the late father, with plainer but brutal language used when touching on the abuse. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death

arayo's review

challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Death of parent

Moderate: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Eating disorder, Chronic illness, Animal death, Terminal illness, and Body horror

merlinwinter's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Rape, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty

cmklaft's review

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

missbrookss's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

dsarbear's review

dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Animal death, Blood, Death, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Cancer, Eating disorder, and Grief

pm_me_book_recs's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Heartbreaking; a tale of neglect, abuse, and violence, but also about gaining self-agency and powerful enduring love.

This one may be a tough read for those who had to grow up to early and became sibling-parents due to neglect, or anyone who has survived domestic violence. Multiple times this little story had me ugly crying. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Abandonment, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence