Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Violet Ghosts by Leah Thomas

3 reviews

elizabethwebb's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Lesbophobia, Incest, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Death of parent, Death, Bullying, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Abandonment

legalplanner's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

3.5

This book was not at all what I suspected. It was a slower read than I was prepared for as well as not what the synopsis sounded like. 

Dani’s gender and gender identity play a major roll in this book and while the synopsis says Dani is trans but it was a large focus of the novel. While dealing with and experiencing ghosts, the main premise definitely felt like the bigger picture was self love, acceptance, and knowing when to tell others about wrong doings. 

The abuse was not always deeply described. But it was hard to know something happened.

This was a slower read for me and the last 30 pages were probably the best for me and where I finally found I powered through the novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming and Homophobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicide

seawarrior's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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 a difficult book to read because of the subject matter, but it was written very smoothly. I really appreciated the messages about victimization and recovery that are weaved throughout the narrative. I was also relieved that the story ended on a note of acceptance, with Danny now knowing that life will always be ambiguous, and not all people are evil, and he doesn't have to sacrifice himself to play savior to people who aren't yet willing to put distance between themselves and their trauma. Those are troublesome but important lessons for all people to learn, especially when you have been victimized in the past. 

I recommend this book to other readers, but please take note of the content warnings. The story does not shy away from descriptions of physical, sexual, and incestuous assault, though thankfully these events are described on the survivor's own terms.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Transphobia

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Religious bigotry