Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev

4 reviews

dorhastings's review against another edition

First off, bless you Storygraph for having a DNF option for book reviews.

I somewhat recently have been enjoying romcoms. I read nonfiction and scifi earlier in the day, when possible, but at night I want to read a book that's not going to make me think a lot. I want fun and funny and yes, romance. It was pretty clear I wasn't going to get it with this book, and I have no interest in continuing the book.

I can usually tell something is amiss if I have difficulty reading the first chapter. I actually turned back a few pages at times, as if I'd missed some clear transition from past to present and then back to past again. But I gave it a try for another chapter, and the feeling in my stomach only deepened. In the past I've pressed on to continue the book, but you know, life's too short to read books I know I won't "enjoy" or learn from.

I started looking at reviews to see if it would get better. I don't have to love the main character, but I probably shouldn't dislike her as much as I do in the first few chapters. Which is weird, because I also felt as though I didn't really understand her in the first few chapters. What I did understand, when I'd gotten as far as I did, was that she's an elitist jerk. Apparently her sister and brother got the conversational genes, or whatever. But it's another sure sign I don't want to get invested in this person. The male lead, what little I saw of him, was also not super impressive. I can't imagine what I'd think of them together.

To be completely fair, one of the reasons I'm not finishing this book, and why I might not pick up another of this author's books, is the writing style. It's jarring and just not fun to read. I don't really like her character portrayals. The other reason, the main reason I'm stopping now, is the spoilers I've read. And I've read about them in multiple reviews.

Apparently Trisha (main character) had a friend named Julia who drugged and raped Trisha's older brother, recorded the event, and then threatened to tell everyone that he'd raped her (she was also a minor at the time). This is all apparently Trisha's fault, as far as the family is concerned, and so she is pretty removed from her family as a result. And the reason her brother doesn't want to come out with the story now that he's running for governor? Well it'll torpedo his chances of winning, and I believe it. But also apparently it'll destroy the #MeToo movement and all the progress we've made? That sort of anti-feminist trash is not something I want to read. I also, personally, just don't want to read about all this trauma in one of my romcom books. There is also apparently some stuff concerning Trisha going out with a patient's brother and telling him details about his sister, which is a pretty decent example of a HIPAA violation.

So, there we are.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Gaslighting, and Rape

thaliareads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-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

4.5

What a fun take on Pride and Prejudice. This book provides a completely new and original feeling story built off the tropes and plot elements of the original Jane Austen work. I did have problems with Trisha's attitude at certain points in the book, however as the "Darcy" character that is too be expected to a point. Overall this was a really great read and I can't wait to make it through the other books. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Medical content, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Rape, Gaslighting, Infertility, Death, and Drug use

Minor: Racism, Police brutality, Sexual content, Rape, and Sexual assault

This book does have a lot of heavy content. DJ's sister is dealing with a cancer prognosis that will leave her changed forever, even if she does survive it. Trisha feels abandoned by her family after a toxic friendship led to her brother being put in an awful situation (

Her friend get's close to the brother, eventually drugging him, raping him, and filming it to try and get closer to him via eliminating his girlfriend

. DJ and his sister both encounter the same toxic friend that Trisha had previous experience with, leading to discussions of his rough childhood and raising his sister after both of his parents were out of the picture. Finally, Trisha's sister, after a long standing battle with infantility and miscarriages is finally pregnant, but the high risk leads to a tense situation.

thecuriousbean's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

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

2.0

The author is very talented in writing but I despised the woman main character. I almost stopped reading halfway through but hate-read the rest of it just to see how it ended. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Medical content, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Classism, Terminal illness, and Police brutality

Minor: Islamophobia, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Racism, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Confinement, Grief, and Drug use

editoryalizing's review against another edition

• 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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Miscarriage, Infertility, Grief, Emotional abuse, Cultural appropriation, Classism, Chronic illness, and Abandonment

Minor: Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, and Pedophilia