Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

162 reviews

colormekinetic's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Incest, Misogyny, and Infidelity

thewordapothecary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

2.5

Mostly I’m just confused. Why the hell did I just read an entire book to basically have no closure for the main plot. There’s unnecessary trauma included in the book that totally could’ve been left out. Elle is the unluckiest character, and I know that bad things happen to lots of people… but her life was one bad thing after the other. She’s a bad person. The one good thing that’s ever happened in her life and she acts like she could easily give it up. The only thing saving this book from a one star is the last handful of chapters and even that is a stretch. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Blood, Cancer, Sexual violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, and Rape

rwlongino's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-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

2.0

This would have been so much better without the explicit child sex abuse scenes. It felt like trauma porn and took away from the narrative. Would have been four stars if those scenes would have been more subtle/nuanced.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Incest, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Bullying, Sexual content, Alcohol, Murder, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity

nabrackett's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Infidelity, and Death

lsm's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

This book is well written but I just wasn’t a fan. It’s tough subject which I can usually handle, but the author went out of her way to drop revolting, unnecessary details throughout the story. The MC said “That’s disgusting” at least a dozen times m, probably more, and she wasn’t wrong. Every possible bodily fluid was mentioned. Even that might be ignored but a cat licking blood off the floor? Why? Mouse urine? Ok, maybe I’ve read that detail somewhere but mouse afterbirth? Stfu. The gross details became a near constant distraction that I came to resent. I know they were all a choice and I’m sure they represented the decay of youth, innocence, and moral compass but in the end they were all too much. For that reason I can’t recommend this one. I doubt I’ll ever read this author again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Infidelity, Infertility, Violence, Terminal illness, Murder, Grief, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

mountain_adventures's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

5.0

Excellent story with many flash backs. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Cursing, Cancer, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Rape, and Pedophilia

thatsssorachael's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Child death and Cancer

mchristie's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

hanngigi's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Death, Grief, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Cancer, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, and Animal death

mellimeldisiel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.0

Not my type of read - difficult, challenging, full of lies and deception that examines the best and worst of humanity side-by-side and places people in impossible situations that are poignantly perfect. The prose is astounding: sweeping grand details and minor aspects vivified with language and longing that was addictive and repulsive in subject matter at times. A mixed read - well written but not my favourite. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Murder, Child death, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Cancer, Grief, Miscarriage, Rape, Infidelity, and Incest