Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Sundial by Catriona Ward

11 reviews

reggiethebird's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

It's a thriller, alright. Vivid imagery throughout, and the plot twists and turns till the very last page. Plot twists can sometimes feel unearned, but I think here they were all reasonable, and nothing felt too out of place by the end.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Child abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Animal death, Confinement, Death, and Trafficking

Moderate: Trafficking, Bullying, Gun violence, Self harm, and Vomit

the_book_bee's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Torture, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Blood, Confinement, and Animal death

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Addiction, and Confinement

Minor: Trafficking, Cannibalism, and Adult/minor relationship

fi_reads_books's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Death

Moderate: Miscarriage, Gore, Murder, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Gore, Kidnapping, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Addiction, and Gun violence

thehmkane's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Violence, Animal death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, Misogyny, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Blood

bowenlacar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Blood, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Murder, and Pregnancy

imstephtacular's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, Confinement, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Alcohol, Body horror, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Vomit

nisima's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Torture, Kidnapping, Confinement, Animal death, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Infidelity, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abortion

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

Much of the plot and setting revolves around animal experimentation specifically on dogs and a coyote. Things go horribly wrong, and the premise of the experimentation is debateably ableist. The rest of the plot and setting basically revolve around a woman escaping a deeply abusive relationship, and worries that one of her two daughters might be a serial killer. There are multiple violent confrontations. The end is happy but may be too ambiguous for some given the tension.

archaicrobin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

Catriona Ward does an amazing job of writing thrillers that keep you on your toes. I had no idea what was happening, who to trust, how it was going to end, and I loved it! Sundial is a sci-fi, horror, thriller with so much going on I really recommend going in with as little knowledge as possible so you can enjoy the twists and turns. Big warning on animal cruelty though, there are a lot of dogs and animals being mistreated in this one and that is definitely something I don’t like. However, the animal cruelty in this was very relevant and not random or thrown in for shock value, and ties in with the themes of the novel. 

If you’re up for a crazy thriller/sciFi/horror mashup with beautiful writing, grab this one. I’m still thinking about it! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Infidelity, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Violence, Gun violence, Grief, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book will hit hard for anyone who has a sibling (especially sisters) and suffers from generational trauma. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Gaslighting

If you are afraid of dogs, this book will prove to be quite triggering. Plus no one likes when the dog dies.

mfallon3491's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Violence, Gaslighting, and Gore