Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

68 reviews

maddie_d_316's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Domestic abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Child abuse, Self harm, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Body horror

absolutechaos's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

3.0

Wow this book hits you in the kneecaps. It leaves you feeling slimy and wrong on the inside, which is what a lot of people want from the genre and almost certainly what Flynn wanted to achieve, so she nailed it there. The atmosphere is unsettling, upsetting, and sickening. I mean it as a compliment. 
The synopsis of the book made me think it would be a mystery, but it’s more focused on our protagonist, Camille. It’s an examination of her childhood, patterns of self harm, and her fractured family dynamics. As a sucker for stories about generational trauma, I loved this aspect. Camille’s mother is a striking character and I enjoyed her presence in the book. 
Honestly the reason this has three stars is that it personally isn’t for me. I didn’t enjoy the repeated descriptions of sexual assault of children. It had its place in the book, but wasn’t part of its core and so at times, it felt like the author was aiming for shock value more than anything. I personally would have preferred the book have a bit more restraint, as it’s throughout the whole book repeatedly and I think less could have been more here.  But this isn’t my genre of choice and I get that a lot of people find this element compelling and raw. 
Don’t read this book if you’re squeamish and if you have any major triggers, please check if the book has them. It does not hold back. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Addiction, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Murder, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug use, Grief, and Sexism

mr_cain's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The twist at the end really ran me ragged. Books that divide your life into a before and after.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Murder, Bullying, Child abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Sexual content, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault and Vomit

Minor: Animal death

litgirldiaries's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

Gillian Flynn's 'Sharp Objects' is an absolute masterpiece of psychological thriller literature. From the moment I delved into its pages, I was entranced by Flynn's dark and haunting narrative, and I couldn't put the book down until I'd devoured every chilling word.

Flynn's storytelling is nothing short of brilliant. She weaves an intricate web of mystery and intrigue, and her ability to create an atmosphere of palpable tension is second to none. As I followed Camille Preaker, the deeply flawed yet utterly captivating protagonist, through the twisted secrets of Wind Gap, Missouri, I found myself completely immersed in the unsettling world she inhabits.

The characters in 'Sharp Objects' are as complex as they come. Each one is etched with such depth and realism that they leap off the page. Camille's internal struggles and her tumultuous relationship with her family are portrayed with a raw honesty that is both unsettling and profoundly relatable.

What truly sets this book apart is Flynn's skill at exploring the darkest corners of the human psyche. Her exploration of trauma, self-harm, and the impact of family dynamics is unflinching and thought-provoking. The psychological suspense she crafts keeps you on edge until the very last page.

Furthermore, the narrative is riddled with shocking twists and turns that left me reeling. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Flynn would drop another bombshell that left me gasping in disbelief.

'Sharp Objects' is not merely a thriller; it's a work of art that delves deep into the complexities of the human soul. It's a book that lingers in your thoughts long after you've turned the final page. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers that push the boundaries of the genre and leave you questioning everything, then 'Sharp Objects' is an absolute must-read. Gillian Flynn has firmly established herself as a master of her craft, and this book is a testament to her storytelling prowess.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Self harm, Domestic abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide

lenadesouza's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

22 content warnings.
I've read it all in three days. 
I love my existence!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Death, Sexual violence, Child death, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault

wkh's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Warning: This book is dark. Very very dark. There are themes of murder, dysfunctional families, drugs, violence, sex, constant mentions of rape and self-harm.

With that being said, I did start reading this book knowing full well what I was getting into. However, I was a little perturbed by how dark the book seemed. I would have appreciated more emphasis on creating a better plot or more memorable characters. Instead, the macabre seemed to be the focus of the author.

I liked the plot and the story. I did not enjoy the writing style too much either - the writing seemed overly descriptive and there wasn't much of a plot besides the main character bouncing around town and having random conversations which might or might not yield any useful information. I can see why this book is hyped, but it just did not do it for me. Decent book, but I am not sure if I will be reading any more from Gillian Flynn.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Addiction, Violence, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Self harm

darlingcami's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism

kaaaaaaaa's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is the first of Flynn's books that I've read, and it's the first of her books to be published. It was good, I just wasn't able to emotionally connect to the characters for some reason. In general, the mystery kept me interested more than the characters. To me, this book reminded me of Stephen King and Shirley Jackson, but it didn't have whatever secret sauce Jackson and King have that pushes the writing and the characters into top-tier. That disconnect makes some of the "disturbing small town details" come off a little forced, despite the fact that I'm well aware of and familiar with disturbing small-town details. I find them believable, but they're missing... something... that integrates them fully into the story; so instead, IMHO, they give a Hostel-style "violence for violence's sake" vibe.

I have a couple more of Flynn's books on hold from the library, so it will be interesting to see how she grows as a writer and if she can clear whatever this je ne sais quoi hurdle is.

Also, this isn't a real make-or-break thing, but how flexible is Camille

that there's only one spot on her back missing the words? How good at writing backwards while looking in a mirror can she be?

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Murder, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Child death, Incest, Self harm, Addiction, Death, Classism, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Body horror, Rape, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Vomit and Infidelity

Minor: Eating disorder, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, and Fatphobia

ebsnewts's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Gritty, gripping, f***** up. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Body horror, Murder, Pedophilia, Bullying, Gore, Grief, Self harm, and Sexual content

auggiebug's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Murder, Misogyny, Infertility, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Pedophilia, Stalking, and Suicide attempt

this book is HEAVY! don't read without checking the trigger warnings first!