Reviews with content warning for Murder - My Sister, the Serial Killer

Reviews tagging 'Murder'

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

709 reviews

ninahuynh's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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

So many characters in this book annoyed me. Points to Braithwaite for creating such full characters that are able to invoke such annoyance in me haha A page-turner, to say the least! And that ending 🙊🙈

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add_a_little_spook's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious tense medium-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

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chezler24's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

"You have to choose a side, and my lot was cast long ago. She will always have me and I will always have her; no one else matters." p. 220.

Such a fantastic find! This fast-paced mystery/thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat as you wonder what is going to happen next. The story follows older sister, Korede, as she deals with the aftermath of her younger sister, Ayoola, who often murders the men with whom she is romantically connected. I enjoyed Braithwaite's writing style. The short, choppy chapters were great at providing just enough information both past and present to explain what is happening. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I also haven't read any other books (that I can recall) set in Lagos, Nigeria. It was interesting hearing (reading) the different dialects and learning about the different food and clothing for the region. I would recommend it if you're looking for something new to cycle into your reading schedule.

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bluberrybooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

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loulapeach's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.75

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natraf_reads's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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

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hollyrebecca's review against another edition

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dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.0

A short and fun read about the extremes a person would go to protect their siblings.

When Korede, a nurse, receives a call from her sister during dinner, she gathers her cleaning supplies and heads out. Ayoola has killed again and, as she’s done for the previous victims, Korede needs to clean up the evidence.

As Ayoola starts a relationship with Korede’s friend and colleague, Korede begins to question whether she should continue protecting her sister or focus on protecting her colleague.

Both of the sisters in this book read like sociopaths to me with neither showing appropriate emotional responses to the situations they found themselves in. The lack of or inappropriate emotions made it a little harder to really sink into the book though, given it’s a short story, maybe this was the intention.

Throw in a violent history and a coma patient functioning as a silent and safe confidant for a thrilling read.

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juan_adhd_reading's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
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

I really enjoyed this book a lot! Such a quick read, and the chapters were so very short, but still managed to convey a compelling story. This story is in part a mystery-thriller, but more so is a story about family and relationships.

This story shows just how un breakable the bond between sisters is, and the length they will go to protect each other.

I don’t know how to talk about the characters in a way that won’t make the story off putting, because the reality is that there are no good characters here. Ayoola is a serial killer, after all, and Korede enables her. I think a lot could be said about how their father’s abuse plays into how they came to be like this, and especially why Korede goes to such great lengths to protect Ayoola. I did feel bad for Korede all throughout the book, because I really felt how trapped she is in this toxic relationship; how her bond with her sister might be too strong for her own good.

Dr. Tade might have been just another sympathetic victim of Ayoola, but in my opinion he was kind of an ass. (Long rant incoming.)

Setting aside the fact that he never appreciated all that Korede did for him, and that he fell for Ayoola just because she’s pretty, he also blamed Korede for anything that Ayoola did. “Ayoola cheated on me because you’re not a good sister”, “Ayoola only seeks other men because you don’t love her enough”, “Ayoola would never hurt anyone! Why do you always villainize her!”, “You’re just jealous of Ayoola because you don’t have a man to love”… Korede told him very clearly that Ayoola would hurt him, she did all she could to warn him and make him break up the engagement (even if Ayoola wasn’t a killer, she knows she didn’t love him and wouldn’t want to marry him). But he just ignored his many years of friendship with Korede to still be with Ayoola, and he got what he got. Did he deserve all that? Probably not, but he had the chance to think and still chose to be horny instead 🫤.

Anyway, despite all that I really enjoyed reading this book, and would definitely recommend it. Especially if you’re in a reading slump.

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