Ginny L
asked:
Was anyone else disturbed by the graphic sexual content? Please be kind, I'm brand new to this site. This is the May selection by Jenna Bush Hager for the Today Show book club. I'm a Christian, not a hater, support LBBTQ+, etc. I just didn't expect the graphic details and certainly not a c-word that was included. Just curious if I'm the only one who feels like it wasn't necessary to include it in the book.
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Chip Burke
Sometimes books expand our experiences, rather than simply reinforce what comfort zones we have settled for. In this book, I found it added context to the characters and their respective perspectives. While certain words are more jolting than others, we should embrace thoughts and words that otherwise make us uncomfortable. I loved the book, and Ms Straub's writing.
Jo Anne
I missed that entirely! To me, that is what books for adults are like. Love, sex, disappointment, happiness, all of the above. There ARE Christian fiction books. You may want to stick with those.
Sylvia
I'm not one for gratuitous sex in a novel but I did not find that here. I thought the Porter Jeremy relationship was important plot device but not the Elliot/Wendy encounters. I'm not exactly sure I would classify it as graphic but if it makes you uncomfortable I get that. They were small in light of all the other issues presented in this book for me anyway.
Marilyn Morris
I was not disturbed. I thought it was a terrific book written with great skill and understanding of the complex relationships in families. I think the author got it right. I could not put the book down.
Jackie
I actually quit reading it after I had read about one-third of it. I questioned why I would continue to read a book that I felt was a complete waste of my valuable time. I have generally felt the Jenna Bush Hager recommendations have been worthwhile, but this was an exception for me.
Kim
Even though this wasn't a review, but a community question, thank you for the content information. Which I am sure will be helpful to other Goodreads readers trying to make an informed decision like me. Welcome to the Goodreads site and I hope other members are always kind and respectful to you. Goodreads is a great social media site.
Stephanie
I didn’t expect it but I wasn’t bothered by it. While I don’t consider it necessary to the book, I feel like I could say that about a lot of scenes and interactions in books; short, minor character development/action scenes don’t make or break a book. This book touches on so many contemporary subjects that the sexual content doesn’t register as notable. I guess it depends on your experiences and the expectations you bring to a book.
Marissa Janeen
Like you I also found the language and continual sexual references not to my taste. It is certainly crass and uncultured.
Denise
I would not characterize the sex scenes as graphic. We each bring our own sensibilities to what we read, but I was not disturbed at all by the sex scenes.
Ruth Olson
I am not a prude, but I was uncomfortable reading some of the passages. I think what disturbed me more, though, was the relationship between Porter and Jeremy. I wanted to yell at Porter to stop. How stupid was she to not realize he was using her. I didn't want them to have sex and I didn't want to read about the details.
Besides that, I had a lot of trouble relating to or caring about the characters, except perhaps Cecilia. I didn't like Astrid and didn't care whether she was happy or not at the end. I agree with what others said about the Barbara chapter seeming like an afterthought. And the loose ends. All those loose ends!
Besides that, I had a lot of trouble relating to or caring about the characters, except perhaps Cecilia. I didn't like Astrid and didn't care whether she was happy or not at the end. I agree with what others said about the Barbara chapter seeming like an afterthought. And the loose ends. All those loose ends!
Jules Castell
I'm also a Christian and I had no problem with this book and enjoyed it :)
Brenda L
I quit this book as well. I found disturbing.
Colleen
I too did not care for some of the graphic language. There is not a lot but some of the words are simply not necessary. It's almost as if authors feel they need to put those words in. It does not add to the overall story.
Terri
I have only read a couple of chapters, but do not think I will continue. It is simply not to my taste.
Mary Rahimzadeh
I'm quit confused, there is violence, sex and hate in the Bible .
Pauline Guzek
I found the book boring. Too many digressions in the middle of conversations. Had to skip ahead and then just stopped reading it.
Debbie
No. Did not really notice it.
K
I don’t consider that to be “the c word” because it’s the abbreviation for the anatomical term. The abbreviation for clitoris is in Chapter 13 around page 100.
Kelly
I just finished this book and really enjoyed it. I can't even begin to understand how anyone saw "graphic sex scenes" in this. Maybe I skimmed over them? The sex was very minimal and not descriptive that I could see. I do wish the loose ends were tied up. Did Cecelia stay in Clapham? Who did Elliott sell to? Totally enjoyed though.
Jan
Maybe it's an age thing, but I get so sick of the dragged out, explicit sex scenes in every thing today. No prude here, a person of the free wheeling '60's, very familiar with 'all that'. I've dropped so many possible good reads over this constant barrage. It's like some kind of badge of honor or I've made it badge? Or is it because the writers have nothing to say of any merit? Leave a little something for my imagination please.
Ed Bernard
Wow, I definitely missed the C word, either of them actually. And while sex is described, it's not anything close to what I would call "graphic" -- must have different standards. There is a fair amount of profanity.
Karen
What graphic sexual content? Did we read the same book?
Deb Urbano
I just wish one could get a warning on that before reading. I found it worth reading, but the brief graphic passages caused me to put a warning for others in my review. Some of the insights the author had about how the same parents can raise different children differently - almost as though a differnet set of parents had raised each one - made it worth everything else.
Beth Testa
Not disturbing surprised that she picked this book . Found it interesting but not that enthralling.
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