OMG! I had a weird streak of books that all involved incest too. I really needed a cushy happy book to break the cycle. I wish there was some kind of warning but they were all used as a plot point.
@Caroline possibly. I’m really determined to read a good mystery or thriller. I’ve been on a historical fiction kick so I’m trying to get a break from that lol
@Lauren Don’t read Book of Essie next. Those are the exact three books that I read in a row. I actually started with Small Fry which had very weird undertones then went down this trend.
Out of all the years of reading I don’t think I’ve ever come across any with incest. That’s actually mindboggling that it would even be a thing in books, yet from a creative standpoint I’m also not really surprised.
Oh you’re so lucky. I remember as a kid stumbling on incest in the Shadowhunters book series. I stuck around for the other gay relationship but ho boy Cassandra Clare did NOT have to bring back the “Clary is so so hot her own brother wants her to bare his children,” for the last book. Especially not when she planned on breaking up my OTP in the last few pages leaving me kneeling on the ground rocking, crying and in general not having a great time
@Tyler Do you remember in the last book when Sebastian/Johnathan was *this* close to (excuse my French) raping Clary? when they were in the apartment together? I do. It was horrendous. I was already dealing with the fact that Magnus and Alec we’re going through a thing, so I didn’t pick up the last book for like a week after that chapter. But my friend finished it by that point, and was telling me, pleading with me, “It gets better,”. What you did. But not before it got worse. I successfully shaved off like 5 years right before Raphael sacrificed himself so Magnus could live.
*Which it did. It did. The ending made me a very happy, very emotional puddle on my bed crying and laughing until my sister asked if she should call a hospital.
That just happened to me! It was The Roanoke Girls and then My Absolute Darling. I didn’t even get a 1/4 of the way through the second one. I couldn’t handle it
I appreciated that the ickiness (ha) kind of started right away, so that readers wouldn’t have invested too much time in it before realizing “No way Jose, not the book for me!”. ?
Ugh same. I just read one that was advertised so much last year. Nowhere did it mention incest and you start to think it around halfway in but it doesn’t come completely to light until the last 10% of the book. I DNF’d it a 81% because I was SO grossed out. I’m sure this is a major trigger for some ppl so for it to not mention it anywhere was surprising to me. I love dark romance but this one just made me nauseous.
Same! Not incest though. The last 4 books I’ve read have dealth with coma/death… Picked up a nice fluffy YA because I don’t need an existential crisis in my life right now lol
Reminds me of when I somehow read 3 books within a month or so that all featured a character’s hands being chopped off! ? Made me sort of paranoid, LOL.
If you want something extremely disturbing read The Kiss by Kathryn Harrison. It’s a memoir about how she slept with her absent father once they reconnected. I had to read it for a college course and it was shocking.
As an incest survivor, it upsets me deeply to see it used as a cheap plot device. I’ve seen it done well, but most of the time, it just ticks me off. So glad my pain is being used to explain why a character is standoffish.
OMG! I had a weird streak of books that all involved incest too. I really needed a cushy happy book to break the cycle. I wish there was some kind of warning but they were all used as a plot point.
Ew.
Maybe it’s time for a different genre to cleanse the palette?
@Caroline possibly. I’m really determined to read a good mystery or thriller. I’ve been on a historical fiction kick so I’m trying to get a break from that lol
Lmao pretty weird ?
Flowers in the attic?
@Bonnie The Roanoke Girls and A Simple Favor
@Lauren Don’t read Book of Essie next. Those are the exact three books that I read in a row. I actually started with Small Fry which had very weird undertones then went down this trend.
@Jessie OMG I LOVED LOVED LOVED The Book of Essie!!! It was soooooo good.
@Molly It was a great book but it was book #3 in my incest marathon. I was over the theme by then.
@Jessie “incest marathon” is not a phrase I thought I’d ever see on this page lol
@Molly unfortunately, I never thought I’d read one.
@Jessie that’s good to know. It’s on my shelf!
Eww ?
I always hate it when that happens. I cant stomach incest AND imagine! I love Game of Thrones?
Out of all the years of reading I don’t think I’ve ever come across any with incest. That’s actually mindboggling that it would even be a thing in books, yet from a creative standpoint I’m also not really surprised.
Oh you’re so lucky. I remember as a kid stumbling on incest in the Shadowhunters book series. I stuck around for the other gay relationship but ho boy Cassandra Clare did NOT have to bring back the “Clary is so so hot her own brother wants her to bare his children,” for the last book. Especially not when she planned on breaking up my OTP in the last few pages leaving me kneeling on the ground rocking, crying and in general not having a great time
@Sam I mean, I did read that series and I love it. But it wasn’t really incest to me aside from that since nothing happened between them.
@Sam I guess I just don’t count that.
@Tyler Do you remember in the last book when Sebastian/Johnathan was *this* close to (excuse my French) raping Clary? when they were in the apartment together? I do. It was horrendous. I was already dealing with the fact that Magnus and Alec we’re going through a thing, so I didn’t pick up the last book for like a week after that chapter. But my friend finished it by that point, and was telling me, pleading with me, “It gets better,”. What you did. But not before it got worse. I successfully shaved off like 5 years right before Raphael sacrificed himself so Magnus could live.
*Which it did. It did. The ending made me a very happy, very emotional puddle on my bed crying and laughing until my sister asked if she should call a hospital.
I could never read Cupcake Brown because of this.
That just happened to me! It was The Roanoke Girls and then My Absolute Darling. I didn’t even get a 1/4 of the way through the second one. I couldn’t handle it
My Absolute Darling was written so beautifully… But left me feeling like I needed to shower in bleach! ?
@Susan I can totally see that in the small bit I read. I just couldn’t do it.
I appreciated that the ickiness (ha) kind of started right away, so that readers wouldn’t have invested too much time in it before realizing “No way Jose, not the book for me!”. ?
@Ashley I know how you feel. My two were The Roanoke Girls and A Simple Favor. DNF immediately.
It is upsetting, but it is a fact of life. Read ‘Eden Close’ by Anita Shreve.
WTF
Ugh same. I just read one that was advertised so much last year. Nowhere did it mention incest and you start to think it around halfway in but it doesn’t come completely to light until the last 10% of the book. I DNF’d it a 81% because I was SO grossed out. I’m sure this is a major trigger for some ppl so for it to not mention it anywhere was surprising to me. I love dark romance but this one just made me nauseous.
Stephanie Comstock I DNF’d both of mine too. Not my cup of tea.
I really wish some books would come with content warnings I will under no circumstance read incest even if it turns out the incest wasn’t real.
I’ve had good luck googling book titles and “content warning” – you don’t get all of it, but you get a good feel for it
@Kate never thought of doing this thanks!
A friend recommended the idea to me, and it’s been really helpful. I’m glad to pass it along
Same! Not incest though. The last 4 books I’ve read have dealth with coma/death… Picked up a nice fluffy YA because I don’t need an existential crisis in my life right now lol
Reminds me of when I somehow read 3 books within a month or so that all featured a character’s hands being chopped off! ? Made me sort of paranoid, LOL.
Am I the only one that finds it interesting? I mean, yeah it’s gross but…-morbid curiosity-
@Eliana I do too. I think it’s because I don’t understand it, kind of like a fascination with serial killers or something ?
Exactly. I’m pretty straight-laced in real life, so I know some people would be horrified by some of the things I’ve read!! ?
@Susan Same! I’m pretty much a prude IRL. I feel like you let off your inner wild side with crazy books lol
Don’t read Game of Thrones then. lol
@Jamie I’m one of the weird ones who have never felt the pull of Game of Thrones. ??♀️
show either?!
That exactly why I don’t watch the show *gag*
@Angela that’s not even the worse thing about it! Lol. I love that show and books
If you want something extremely disturbing read The Kiss by Kathryn Harrison. It’s a memoir about how she slept with her absent father once they reconnected. I had to read it for a college course and it was shocking.
Read Wideacre if you want to stick with the trend. ???
My Absolute Darling? A Simple Favor?
@Natalie A Simple Favor and The Roanoke Girls
@Lauren my absolute darling was ROUGH. Did you like A Simple Favor?
Eh oh well. As long as it isn’t rape or pedophilia. But my book has all of that in it anyways
Yikes! What book? (Asking for a friend, obvsly.). ?
IT by Stephen King lol
@Pamela Two reasons I immediately DNF is child rape/pedophilia and incest.
It is a great book so I’m glad my limits are different lol
Were they both from The Mortal Instruments? ?
@Kylie that doesn’t have actual incest in it though..
@Pamela Yeah, but they didn’t know that
True lol
i hated a simple favour,, it felt like it was just in there to be ~edgy~. then again that was kind of the feeling i got for the whole thing lmao
@Charley ive heard it’s one instance where the movie version is better so I may give that a try.
Have you read Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma? You should!
@Maria I love her books!
As an incest survivor, it upsets me deeply to see it used as a cheap plot device. I’ve seen it done well, but most of the time, it just ticks me off. So glad my pain is being used to explain why a character is standoffish.
@Kate so much love sent your way xxxxxxxxx
Don’t read ANY VC Andrews either lol
Did someone say Cassandra Clare? (Don’t come for me I love Cassie Clare but like… come on)