Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

35 reviews

frankensteinscreature's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

1.5

I have rather conflicting feelings about this book, I picked it up as a blind date with a book and it’s not something I would usually gravitate towards. I think the writing style was objectively bad but it did draw me in (I suppose that is what thrillers are supposed to do). It could have been good if not for the horrendously stereotypical and frankly homophobic depictions of the one queer character clearly written by a straight woman that does not like gay men. The sort of predatory relationship that she wanted for the story did not need to manifest itself in such a homophobic way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Murder, Domestic abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Abortion, Confinement, and Adult/minor relationship

loonysaurus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Abandonment, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Deportation, Abortion, Gore, Homophobia, and Infertility

minnie_bee_holmes's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Check trigger warnings before reading. This made me feel kinda dark after I finished it- it was such a wild ride. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Pedophilia

kimveach's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

Dark and disturbing but a good thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Pedophilia, Confinement, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Rape, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Murder, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

soniaa5's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Drug use

vexpress's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Rape, Animal death, Murder, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Infidelity, Abandonment, Violence, and Cursing

alymccaskill's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I felt so many emotions while reading this one. It’s well written and the plot was carefully crafted. Quite the psychological thriller that leaves you asking so many questions. It engulfs you, for sure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse

ksmo's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.5

I enjoyed most of this book, but the last part really threw me off. I'm not sure how we went from finding out the extent of all the terrible things that happened, to playing happy families at a birthday lunch? 'Oh he's just your eccentric uncle', who's still completely obsessed with a boy he met as a child, and who tried to kill virtually the entire household. It felt like the author wrote the first 3 parts, then said 'And they all lived happily ever after'.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Murder

themoodreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Chronic illness

denlia's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Vomit