Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Animal by Lisa Taddeo

91 reviews

mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

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dark medium-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? Yes

5.0


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kathalura's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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savvylit's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

** Please check the content warnings before you read this book. **

Animal is a dark story filled with abuse. Do not read this if you're in search of a light-hearted story. Joan is a confessional and shameless narrator. It was jarring and thrilling at the same time to read someone carelessly reveal the ugliest parts of themselves.

Overall, Animal was a slow burn. Throughout the book, Taddeo slowly unravels all of Joan's terrible and predatory encounters with men. While I appreciated that this represented simmering female rage, the pacing felt off to me. I found that the middle of the book seemed endless.

I did love that Animal was an exposé of the nuanced spectrum of male cruelty and violence. I think that Taddeo explored this topic very effectively. However, I did not like that every single thought or conversation in this book was either about men or with men. This book wouldn't pass the Bechdel test - at all. I really wanted Joan to have something else to think about or discuss. I suppose that her obsession with men is indicative of her own particular traumas. But I found the constant talk of men and their ideas of sex/sexiness to be grueling.

Overall, I'll add Animal to my list of dark & thought-provoking books about female rage. But I do not plan to read this again.

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snoutsiru's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.75

bro this book is near perfection 

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eyes_on_books's review against another edition

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

2.5

First half of the book had a good pace. You feel intrigued and you want to know the main character better - who is she, what drives her actions and who is Alice. Then, at some point (for me it was when the daughter of her ex lover arrived), the plot started to be go downhill. I was very dissatisfied and disappointed - especially when the beginning of the book was strong and promising. 

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tegalodon's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


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ladymirtazapine's review against another edition

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challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

3.75


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hukiki's review against another edition

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

3.0

Please read the trigger warnings

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orlagaughran's review against another edition

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

1.75


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lauriankuipers's review against another edition

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5.0


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