Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

The Push by Ashley Audrain

59 reviews

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.75

4.75 because I needed just a little more from the ending. Otherwise—WHAT A TWISTY, CREEPY, SICKENING RIDE OF CREATION AND DEMISE.

I was hooked immediately and never let go. The writing was smart and breezy and blunt and chilling, the chapters were deliciously short, the characters were multifaceted and unhinged, the plot was searing, uncomfortable, explosive. Darkly fantastic.

“The Push” refers, specifically, to one tragic incident in the main character’s life, but to me it was also a direct metaphor for all of the different types of motherhood represented in the story. How much children shape our worlds, the very good parts and, in this novel’s case, the traumatic and the sinister. 

If you haven’t already, pick this up ASAP. You won’t be able to put it down until the very last page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Violence, Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicide

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Stalking, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Racism, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mass/school shootings, and Dementia

ashlyreadsevrythg's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

keijiwolf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Stalking, Physical abuse, Suicide, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Excrement, Abortion, Car accident, and Dementia

leah_anne's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

5.0

This was so much more than just a thriller and I loved it even though my heart was breaking for Blythe over and over again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Stalking

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Abortion, Sexism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Blood, Dysphoria, Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Body horror, Child death, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Car accident, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Eating disorder, Excrement, Alcoholism, Confinement, Vomit, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Incest, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual violence, and Dementia

shift's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Grief

Minor: Stalking

sib_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Stalking, Blood, Alcohol, and Sexual content

amykuc's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.5

This book is one you need to have someone ready to discuss with! It raises some interesting debate questions.
When Blythe births her first child, Violet, she is unable to connect with her in any way-physically and emotionally. Yet she seems to be the only one who sees this side of Violet. There are the incidents that happen that make you wonder about Violet and a propensity to violence. Even though their mother/daughter relationship is horrible, Blythe wants to have another child.  Maybe the second time will be different.

When Sam is born, the parenting relationship is a polar opposite from the relationship with Violet. While Sam adores Violet, the feeling may not be mutual.

The second half of The Push is a roller coaster of events. And ones that can't be described without ruining the ending. 

This book is one of those where I can't see I liked it. It led to me wanting to have some philosophical discussions about what happened.  It won't be a book I will soon forget.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, and Bullying

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Stalking

pageswithprosecco's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Death, Child death, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Self harm, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

rhiandroid_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

woah nelly

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, and Grief

Minor: Infidelity and Stalking