Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko

11 reviews

ashtronomic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

 This book holds nothing back, a raw, dark and brutal perspective on the experiences of Indigenous Australians.

Too Much Lip was difficult to read and that’s a good thing. The characters are disagreeable, but the novel takes readers on a journey to identify the necessity for their often unlikeable personalities. The novel explores the effect that generational trauma continues to have on first nations peoples in Australia and how that impacts families every day. Whilst reading I often found myself inwardly flinching due to uncomfortable situations and actions, so much so, that I was having doubts in the first few chapters. However, as the tale unravels you come to sympathise with the protagonists even as their actions continue to be contentious.

My only negative opinion on this book is that some POV chapters feel out of place and unnecessary.

This book's message is one that is incredibly difficult to convey, but Melissa Lucashenko has done an incredible job of enunciating the issue. If only more white Australians had any interest in experiencing these perspectives.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Racism, Child abuse, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Alcohol, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Drug use, and Addiction

seanamcphie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

3.75

not sure why she was made to be ostensibly a lesbian in the first place since it had little bearing on the story and she quickly started a relationship with a random white dude. it felt very weird to start the story off with her describing herself and being described as a dyke and a lezzo and then continuing to call herself that to other ppl when she was dating a dude? i don’t know why the author didn’t just make her straight if she wasn’t intending on actually exploring bisexuality. like it was so random. she goes out jogging one day and bumps into a hot guy she once went to school with and immediately the narrative starts cataloguing and detailing all his muscles and physical attractiveness and how much the main character wants to fuck him with no introspection at all on the narrator’s part. just very random.

this book was incredibly funny but also shocking and really pulled no punches when examining being indigenous and racism and colonisation. i found the quips and banter between characters to be engaging and was really hypnotized by the audiobook narrator’s portrayal of the characters, especially pretty mary. i think the strength of the dialogue and the pointed insights embedded in the prose helped to make the darker and more heartbreaking elements sit properly, and i came away from this book with a lot to think about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Animal death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Classism, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Slavery, Terminal illness, Genocide, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts

ghostwendy's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Incest, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Genocide, Racism, Classism, and Police brutality

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

lliizz12's review

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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

Moderate: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse

kj2355's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Violence, Animal death, Bullying, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Addiction, Animal death, Blood, and Violence

balfies's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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? Yes

4.5

Dark, whip smart, funny, soul exposing account of a Bundjalung family confronting their histories, traumas, and personal demons. 

This one had a slow start for me. I struggled to get into it for a bit - this was actually a DNF for me earlier this year that I gave another go. But the second act was gripping. And the voice!! A really sophisticated, earthy, grounded narration with sprigs of magical realism. Really enjoyed this one once I was in the right mindset for it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Vomit, Gun violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Racism, Colonisation, Child abuse, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Death, Cursing, Alcoholism, Violence, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Hate crime, Genocide, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

sadie26w's review

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death of parent, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Grief, Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Murder, and Vomit

booksandcat's review against another edition

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Colonisation, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Vomit

lilcoppertop's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Police brutality, Misogyny, Incest, Homophobia, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Violence

bookdragon217's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

"Too much lip, her old problem from way back. And the older she got, the harder it seemed to get to swallow her opinions. The avalanche of bullshit in the world would drown her if she let it; the least she could do was raise her voice in anger."

Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko was about Kerry, a black queer Aboriginal woman who comes home after many years because her grandfather is dying and she needs to help save their ancestral land. Kerry is not your typical protagonist. She lives life on her terms, rides a motorcycle and commits some crimes of survival along the way. She's considered the black sheep of the family because she has "too much lip". She's not afraid to take up space and use her voice. 

This book was funny but also heartbreaking at the same time. The author tackled difficult topics in a lighthearted way. Each character was flawed, complex and redeemable. The pacing was perfect for when the secrets were finally revealed. I gained perspective about the Indigenous experience of the Goorie people and I can definitely see similarities in overarching themes relevant to the conversation of white supremacy and colonialism. There was also a cute romance that blossomed that did not take away from the core of the novel.

Themes that resonated with me were:

-Black and Indigenous people are not safe anywhere on the globe and police brutality continues to plague their communities at higher rates.

-Generational trauma from removal, genocide and forced assimilation continues to plague Indigenous communities. Alcoholism and mental health are a direct result.

-Sacred lands of Indigenous people continue to be a target of capitalism.

-Women continue to be oppressed by misogyny and patriarchy. When women do not confirm they face threat of violence or are given negative labels.

If you're a fan of wise cracking, swearing like a sailor, badass protagonist types, this one's for you. I'm sad I have to return it to the library because I loved this one. This was a great choice for book club because this one packs a punch and brings up lots of themes to explore for discussion. It will be hard for me to stop thinking about Kerry and her family. 

Rating: 4.5 🔥

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Incest, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Racism

Minor: Sexual content