Cuts and Bruises — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Content themes
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
"I'd imagine my family finding me; would they be surprised? Devastated? Relieved? Would I survive? Would they find me just at the last second, resuscitate me at the vital moment before I could slip away? I could see their angry faces flashing before my eyes, screaming selfish, selfish, selfish, how selfish can you be?" Life has become banal and monotonous for 16-year-old Samantha Ward. The blade she drags across her skin is the only thing that makes her feel alive, that makes her feel real. With the death of her beloved grandmother and the rejection of her best friend, Samantha falls ever further into the grips of her darkness, every day adding to the collection of marks on her skin. Desperate and tired of waiting for change, Samantha ventures out into the rain and finds herself drawn to the graveyard nearby. She stumbles across her classmate Michael Gallagher with a noose swaying behind him. Choosing careful words, Samantha convinces him to leave it behind. With an unspoken bond between them, a friendship blooms. But as Samantha struggles to keep her habit a secret, she realises that Michael is hiding his own secrets too.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cuts and Bruises appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The narrative includes an attempted murder-suicide and depicts a character in fear for their life. This suggests a significant level of violence within the story. No content classified as scary or horror-related detected in the search results for 'Cuts and Bruises'.
Does Cuts and Bruises have violence?
The narrative includes an attempted murder-suicide and depicts a character in fear for their life. This suggests a significant level of violence within the story.
Does Cuts and Bruises have scary content?
No content classified as scary or horror-related detected in the search results for 'Cuts and Bruises'.
Does Cuts and Bruises have religious themes?
No religious content or themes detected in the search results for 'Cuts and Bruises'.
Does Cuts and Bruises have racial/cultural content?
No race or racism themes detected in the search results for 'Cuts and Bruises'.
Does Cuts and Bruises have profanity?
No profanity or strong language detected in the search results for 'Cuts and Bruises'.
Does Cuts and Bruises have climate change?
No climate themes or environmental content detected in the search results for 'Cuts and Bruises'.
Does Cuts and Bruises have sexual identity?
The book is described as an intimate story that touches on themes of friendship and first romances, and it includes a mention of sexual assault, indicating the presence of sexual content.
Does Cuts and Bruises have gender roles?
No explicit gender roles or themes related to gender expectations detected in the search results for 'Cuts and Bruises'.
Does Cuts and Bruises have lgbtq+ themes?
No LGBTQ+ themes or characters detected in the search results for 'Cuts and Bruises'.
