Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Affinity by Sarah Waters

5 reviews

lidia7's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

Really enjoyed it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Infidelity, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Drug use, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Violence, Excrement, Abortion, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Classism, Blood, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Terminal illness

third_bookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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? Yes

4.5

This was very good. I love to read about deeply messed-up lesbians. One thing that I enjoy a lot about Waters' writing is that many of her main characters are interesting and enjoyable to read about despite not being even slightly likable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, and Drug use

nialiversuch'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abortion and Child death

Minor: Alcohol and Terminal illness

eleanorryd's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

While reading it, it felt a bit slow, but once I got to the end it was all sooooo worth it. Other than the sometimes slow pace and the very long chapters (not all of them, but the ones that aren't short are looooong), I really have nothing to complain about. I love the characters - Margaret and Helen are sometimes a bit annoying but that feels intentional, I think - the gaol is an amazing setting (especially when Margaret talks to the porter near the end and he describes how it moves and cracks and floods and feels alive, those paragraphs were just so beautiful). I don't want to spoil it too much, but for anyone considering DNFing: THE ENDING IS WORTH IT.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Minor: Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

There are brief descriptions of self-inflicted injuries and general illness in the gaol, as well as the main character dealing with grief over her dead father and her suicide attempt in connection with that. Her mother is not the most understanding woman, but I would not call it abuse.

jonesmonster's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This was darker and less tightly plotted than Fingersmith but I still loved it. It took me a few chapters to get into it but once I did I couldn't put it down. The central character veers from sympathetic and sensible to disastrously out of control of her life in a way that made it difficult to 'love' her but she definitely got under my skin.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Addiction, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, and Sexism