Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Corset by Laura Purcell

15 reviews

silverthistle's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Confinement, Violence, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Domestic abuse

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

This was one of my 12 recs from 12 friends and the second Purcell novel I’ve read. I was pulled in right away and didn’t want to put this one down!

The story is told through switching POVs between Ruth and Dorothea. I preferred Ruth to Dorothea, Dorothea’s storyline could be annoying and she doesn’t have as much depth  (her one personality trait is measuring people’s skulls to determine their traits and that constant narrative was irritating, although very Victorian).

The childbirth scene was gross and traumatizing-I had to look away and felt nauseous 🤢 But on that note, Purcell does such a good job with putting you in the novel. Very atmospheric writing and great job building the Victorian backdrop!

The twists were unexpected and well done. Pacing was also well done, as the tension slowly builds throughout as we hear Ruth’s story right alongside Dorothea. I did however feel slightly unsatisfied with the ending, it was a bit abrupt and wish we got an epilogue to wrap things up for Dorothea’s future after that final scene.

Overall an ominous, creeping story in the vein of a Victorian gothic horror story! Purcell is officially a favorite author I’ll be reading more from 💗 I recommend for anyone wanting a gothic historical mystery with complex characters and atmospheric writing (but be wary of the content warnings because it’s very graphic and dark)!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Medical trauma, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Gore, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Torture, Confinement, Child death, Sexism, Suicide, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Self harm

asolis's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was technically well-written, but I can't describe it more positively than "a solid OK."

I could not bring myself to care at all about Dorothea or her plot line. Her chapters felt like a reprieve from the misery of Ruth's story, at best, or an annoying interruption to her story, at worst. 

While I didn't get the sense that the book was written with this intention, I think one of its strengths was how unflinchingly it showed that the darkest evil was actually the way poverty was criminalized in Victorian England, something that remains distressingly true around the world today. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Child death, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Blood, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Torture, and Vomit

juliette_d_03's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Child death, Blood, and Racism

koyasten's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

‘Woven in black hair, the letter R’

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Gore

holliebye's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Torture, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Classism, Terminal illness, and Violence

Minor: Body shaming, Self harm, Suicide, Slavery, and Excrement

riflelizards's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Violence, Racism, Slavery, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Child death

kurumipanda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Blood, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Suicide, Violence, Child death, Grief, Body horror, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gore, Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Self harm, and Religious bigotry

singalana's review

dark 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

4.5

I picked this book from a local bookshop based on the interesting premise. I had no idea the book had a supernatural element until I started reading it since it isn’t mentioned in the blurb, and I rarely read the testimonials. Because I’m a fan of the supernatural in my books, I didn’t mind that at all. 

This book was much more gruesome than I expected, and it is certainly not a light read. It follows two very different women brought together by a crime which we learn more about as the story processes. Without giving anything away about the plot, this story certainly gives food for thought not only because of the historical aspect but also the lives and motivations of the two main characters. 

I think this story will stick with me for a while. It has a certain gothic feel to it: horrific historical facts combined with an intriguing supernatural element. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Gore, and Body horror

Moderate: Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, and Death of parent

Minor: Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

linguaphile412's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Child death

Moderate: Racial slurs, Excrement, Racism, and Vomit