Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

213 reviews

bibble_kingly's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This book gets you from the first chapter. For only 4 hours, it feels like a lot is happening.

The main character's relationship with her sister really highlights how family obligations and cultural expectations can put people in really difficult situations. 

On another note, the main character's fasidious cleaning tells the reader a lot about who she is as a person. 

Overall, kind of a dark read. It was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Alcohol

callme_tippy's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective 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

This was a nice quick read that kept me interested from beginning to end. 

I really loved the style this was written in, it has very short chapters and it told in fragments kind of which works really well for the plot of this. I think it was great the way it's treated seriously but not too seriously. It was the perfect amount of suspense for a short read. 

This was great little dive into family ties and bonds, societal expectations, family expectations, and how to navigate right and wrong, when the wrong-doer is the only one in your corner. 

I can't wait to try another one of Braithwaite's books!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

kimveach's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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

I enjoyed this contemporary story. It's not so much a mystery or thriller as a book about relationships and family.  It was excellent on audio with the narrator's lovely accent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

aeroyou's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, and Medical content

shannonlar's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

zulmiro's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Racism, Police brutality, and Stalking

blackeyedraptor's review against another edition

challenging dark funny fast-paced

4.0

A great, quick read for those interested in solving mysteries or delving into complicated family relationships.
I love that this was not in America or Europe, but in Africa, as the author really delves into her roots and culture.
The main character was incredibly rounded as she deals with the conflict of wanting to protect her sister, who is an extreme narcissist and serial killer, and also wanting her sister to face the music. 
It definitely did not end the way I thought it would, which was super refreshing! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, and Blood

snowhite197's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, and Murder

isabellao_x's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I recommend this book to anyone who will listen. I loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

pacifickat's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Enjoyable shorter read that pulled me in from start to finish. I like that it was told largely through little vingetes from the sister Korede's first-person point of view. I liked the sprinkling of reveals throughout that flip your assumptions at every turn. The ending moved it from a decent 4 to solid 4.5 stars for me. 

The audio narration by Adepero Oduye was brilliant and helped me better connect with the setting and culture of the characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Drug use, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Trafficking