Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Four by Ellie Keel

9 reviews

_bird_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Wow. I wasn't expecting this book to turn out the way that it did. I can’t remember the last time I got emotional over a book but this left me with watery eyes. The author does an impeccable job at telling the story of four hopeful, vastly different yet similar kids who embark on their journey at a boarding school that they hope will change their lives for the better. What happens in the time that they are at High Realms is so heart breaking relatable, so devastating, it’s a roller coaster of emotions that make you question how far you would go to protect your friends and those you love. It also paints a very raw and brutal portrait of what unchecked trauma does to a person especially when it’s compounded with events that continue to tear you apart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

staxreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

It was a bit of a weird one and I'm not sure how to rate it as a whole. I was oddly hooked on this book yet felt little / no connection to any of the characters. The story was gripping yet I felt that the 'serious' parts were over the top and unnecessarily violent. Honestly there were times when I wasn't sure that I wanted to continue reading, yet I could not bring myself to put the book down.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bookb1itch's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Although this book has some MAJOR red flags - self-harm, suicide, rape - it was engrossing and beautifully fits the Y9 Savage Humans genre study.  It is a disturbing tale, but a lovely exploration of friendship and romantic love.  Boarding schools should be outlawed.  I found myself often wonderinng if this was an "unreliable narrator" story, which added a layer to the mystery.  I'm still not quite sure how I feel about the main characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

Minor: Vomit and Suicide attempt

klpage's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.5

THIS BOOK NEEDS A TRIGGER WARNING LIST!!! 

I was NOT expecting this book to be this dark and heavy with the topics it covers. 

I found it difficult to read regarding to how “the four” were treated at this school. I’m not sure if the author went too far with some of the events that happened to various characters. This is why I have rated it low. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

rad_reads_123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Rape and War

pageswithamber's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

booknerdcoco's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

OK firstly. This book needs a list of trigger warnings. I was so disappointed that one wasn't supplied in the book or online, especially given  the graphic content of the book. My concern is that a younger reader may pick this book up - it is set in a sixth form, which may lead one to believe it is a YA novel. It is NOT!! 

This is a very dark and explicit thriller. Was it good? Yes. Was it great? I don't think so.

Whilst the plot itself is decent, the text can be confusing in parts. I understand that the author was trying to keep things mysterious. But honestly, I just felt that it didn't land in places.

The story follows the life of four scholarship students as they embark on a scholarship in a rural boarding school
 There appears to be no leadership, and the bullying is rife. Due to the vulnerable nature of the students and the negligence of the staff, thigns soon take a turn for the worst. And somebody is accused of a crime, which then leads to even darker revelations.

I felt like the story could have been shortened in places. 

Would I recommend this book? Yes, but only to the right reader. This story isn't for the faint of heart, and as previously mentioned, it could be  triggering for some due to the content.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Pregnancy

abigailwaugh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Suicide

3 vivid mentions of rape

emmymk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Violence, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, and Abortion