Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

42 reviews

lhodgson26's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

3.0

This was a great psychological thriller and did keep you guessing right till the end. I'm not surprised there is a sequel and will read it as there are still a lot of loose ends. The book was so fast paced and told from the three different perspectives which slowly came together to reveal the truth of what the horror of the house became and what happened the night of the 'suicides'. I just found it a very unsettling read with a lot of dark themes and I definetly do not trust Henry or the man he became. I liked the book but it was an uncomfortable read too with so much death. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Child death, and Death

dorsetreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Child death, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Violence, Animal death, Miscarriage, Drug use, and Emotional abuse

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity

yvonne_aaf's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really liked this book, it’s the first Lisa Jewell novel I’ve read, and I’m definitely going to read through her backlist because of it. I loved her writing style, it’s almost got a lighthearted quality to it, but not so much that it detracts from the severity of the situations the characters are in, but rather reflects the fact that the book centres on the experience of children, and we’re seeing a lot of the events unfold through them. It makes for a really vivid reading experience, and I could picture the events as if I was watching through a camera.

I know there’s a sequel out, but I’m weirdly apprehensive of reading it, just because I was really satisfied with the ending of this one, and don’t want to see it all go up in flames 😭

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Murder

izzybell's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Confinement, Child death, Rape, Animal death, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Murder, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

bookswhitme's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse

mollykrystyna's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Child death, and Torture

meligarcia's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

I really didn’t expected this book to be what it is. Super creepy. 
Be prepared to be confused. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence

jen1804's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.5

Good amount of mystery throughout.
Not at all what I expected from the blurb.
Very dark themes.
Enjoyed the switching of narratives between several characters stories which inevitably all eventually intertwine.
Satisfactory ending? Yes.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Child death, Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Murder

kjm_x's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Alcoholism