Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

15 reviews

aschmitttyy's review against another edition

challenging hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I have mixed feelings on this one. As much as I enjoyed reading it, I don't know that I necessarily liked it. Possibly because it was so depressing. However, it was one of the most unique books I have ever read and I know I will think about it for years to come. I would have rated it higher, but I am disappointed by the lack of background and context for the situation of the women. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Death

Minor: Physical abuse

sakisreads's review

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.5

I had seen this all over BookTok and I am easily influenced so I bought a copy immediately when I saw a copy at a book fair 😂

I’m puzzled by this one. I could not put it down, even though it explained NOTHING (e.g. why were these women trapped in the bunker?!). I was upset by some of the more graphic scenes (which I’ll detail in the content warnings below), but still wanted it to keep going 😳 Literature is so powerful.

I’m giving this 3.5 out of 5 stars. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something with a Margaret Atwood energy. Fascinating! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Moderate: Misogyny

janaptrsn's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Death, and Torture

itsybitsygingie's review against another edition

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was an incredibly difficult yet beautiful book to read. It brought forth some incredibly difficult feelings concerning being human and the role of womanhood within society. My one slight of the book was the sheer amount of anti-female sentiments from the main character. Her one consistent thought throughout the book was that she was better because she wasn’t constrained by the supposedly womanly traits of the other characters, and I didn’t see as much growth as I would liked concerning this position. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Pandemic/Epidemic, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Genocide, Violence, Murder, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

imaggienary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gaslighting, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Physical abuse, and Murder

beatingaroundthebooks's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Blood, Terminal illness, Infertility, Death, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Confinement

Moderate: Torture, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Child death, Cancer, Abandonment, Deportation, Violence, and Emotional abuse

radtj's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

I really liked the author’s take on what it means to be human and time as a construct of humanity. This book leaves you with some unanswered questions, but it’s the feeling the book leaves you with that feels more important. The format and voice the author writes in compels you to be just as curious as the main character, and it definitely gives you some interesting topics to think about.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Death, Infertility, Grief, Confinement, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Genocide

elienore's review

challenging dark hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Death

Moderate: Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Minor: Medical content and Physical abuse

rionstorm's review

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

A really interesting (and bleak) exploration of how we make sense and meaning of ourselves and our role as a Person, and how much of that is situational. The narrator's musings on how time only has meaning and we only really exist when it's in relation to other people really struck a chord with me. 

If you are looking for fast paced or hopeful dystopian fiction you won't like this.

Ending spoilers

Have seen the story described as "a puzzle that refuses to be solved", and I feel that's accurate - but as frustrating as that is, I can respect the authors decision not to explain anything. It sort of places you alongside the narrator and gives you the option to either choose to continue going knowing that there probably won't be a resolution, or give up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Death, Terminal illness, Infertility, Kidnapping, Confinement, Abandonment, and Suicide

Moderate: Police brutality and Physical abuse

kimberleydawn's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, and Confinement

Minor: Grief, Suicide, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Infertility, Physical abuse, Dementia, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, and Cancer