Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Chlorine by Jade Song

231 reviews

loz_reads11's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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taikafaitau's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

What the fuck did I just read. 

Oddly satisfying. Definitely recommend listening to Faye Wong while reading.

Heartbreaking, horror, coming of age, thought-provoking.

I could see this being a 5-star read for others. It is well written and beautiful storytelling.

I would recommend this for anyone who enjoyed “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath.

I might come back and change the rating after I’ve chewed on this one. Makes me wish I was in a book club.
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culpeppper's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

Overall, I really loved this book. I listened to the book, and the two readers they chose for Ren and Cathy's chapters suited the story really well. The story was hard to listen to, at times, with this looming threat of others preying on Ren's psyche that became reality. But I was hooked. Though Ren was definitely a sharp and guarded character, her narration of her life made me ache for her, making the ending of the story so cathartic. The main criticism I have was the pacing felt off at some points, and while it never dragged there were some drawn out parts. But, mostly, I really liked Chlorine. 

Edit: bumping this up to 5 stars, it's been weeks and I can't stop thinking about this book.......
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eheidenreich's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

Unsettling, intoxicating, and a slightly sapphic. This is such a weird and fun read. I enjoyed the casual crass-ness of our main character. Although the "transformation" was a little hard to stomach. 
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bookishsapphicshay's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

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seowsauce's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

Wow I didn’t read the blurb for this book on purpose because I’ve just heard really great things about this book and I wanted to be surprised. All I knew going into it was a horror book about mermaids and now that I've finished it I’m literally speechless. First up, Jade song's writing is gorgeous like underlined so lines because I was in of her writing. Also, when reached to The last page I literally had to flip back because I was like there is no way The book is over. Honestly, the way she wrote about REN felt so vulnerable and real and my heart broke for her over and over.  Definitely there are triggering themes in this book but it really is a beautiful prose of figuring out your identity along with all the trials of relationships that bound us to this human world. 
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madisonbleeker's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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bowelhaus's review against another edition

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

2.75

This was such a fantastic concept but I don’t think it was executed very well. The body horror was so elegantly done and so horrifying, and I love the concept of girlhood as horror and self-transformation. 
However, all of the characters’ and the way they interacted and spoke fell flat. There were a lot of moments where the way the speaker spoke felt corny or cliche which shocked me since this concept is so unique. I just couldn’t see the through line.
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chloseencounter's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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

4.0

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vavocado's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

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