Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

134 reviews

blanxx_2102's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Blood, Vomit, Alcoholism, Grief, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse

sunflower7skull's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Beautifully written and it reads like a classic, but I can't say I enjoyed the plot. Gorgeous and heart-wrenching descriptions of grief are the brightest point, which is sort of saying something. Definitely check the trigger warnings on this book, because the depictions of suicide and drug abuse are very graphic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Suicide, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Murder, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Car accident, Vomit, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Child death

Minor: Animal cruelty

Very graphic depictions of drug abuse, grief, suicide, and addiction! Watch out if that could bother you.

lambclown's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

Minor: Racial slurs

lmilfort's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad slow-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

5.0

[follows a man who loses his mom in a museum explosion at 13 and he becomes obsessed with an painting that they saw together in the exhibit] really like the story and the characters, Boris and Mr. Hobart are my personal favorites. Really nihilistic basically up until the last few pages 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Murder, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Vomit, and Abandonment

wesleyreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.25

Very original story, written very well (amazing atmospheric descriptions), gripping, it leaves you wanting more. I love the themes (guilt, grief, what's right and wrong, does such a thing as fate exist?), the symbolism, the way the characters all contrast each other and all serve to offer another perspective on the themes. There is just so much to unpack...

There was just one section of the book I found boring and I felt the character was wallowing in self-pity with not much going on for a while. Luckily the pace quickly picked up again. The end fell a bit flat, but I guess it was a choice lol.

I don't understand why so few people mention this but unfortunately there are a lot of racial stereotypes being portrayed. Any character who isn't American is basically a stereotype of their culture and even their dialogue is written in heavy accents, which I found unnecessary. As if as a rule immigrants can't learn to speak English well? For example, all Russian characters have the exact same voice and similar personalities. I would rate it higher, if it had been less obnoxious with that. 

Also, given its widespread success, the number of people involved in writing this book, and many reprints I found it surprising that there were several mistakes made when the author was trying to write Dutch words. 

Overall, a very amusing read that leaves you thinking about what it all meant, but be prepared for racism...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Racism and Racial slurs

moonpeach's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Vomit, Gun violence, Grief, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt

elibrownn's review

dark emotional slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Cursing, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Grief, Bullying, Child abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

woweewhoa's review

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

While this book is very well written and a compelling character study, I unfortunately don't think I liked reading this book very much. It's a long and miserable read about Theodore Decker, our protagonist, ruining his life and getting his life ruined by others. It's a tragedy from the get go, and while its not all his fault, it's still hard to read at times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Homophobia

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

k_vira's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Gun violence, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Murder, Violence, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Addiction

Minor: Death and Death of parent

fatfrog's review

Too triggering

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Alcohol