Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Corset by Laura Purcell

3 reviews

nadiajohnsonbooks's review against another edition

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

5.0

Ooooh this book was so satisfying!

We have two protagonists: Dorothea, an oddly progressive (by early Victorian standards) with an obsession with phrenology and Ruth, a seamstress and alleged murderess who seems to believe that she can impart curses with her stitches.

The two have had very different upbringings, but both have lost a parent to ugly deaths.

Dorothea becomes obsessed with Ruth's case, determined to prove that the young inmate can be reformed and, in doing so, change the very shape of her anatomy.

As Ruth's horrifying past is revealed, Dorothea comes to doubt some fundamental truths about her life and the nature of human morality.

The crimes are so layered and complex, the characters are deliciously complicated, and the ending felt so, so good.

I loved Purcell already, but I think I need to buy all her damn books now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Blood, Classism, Bullying, Racism, Body horror, Gore, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

chaotically_katie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and Blood

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Self harm, Sexism, and Terminal illness

forgottenangstycharacter's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Violence