Reviews tagging 'Grief'

There Are No Saints by Sophie Lark

7 reviews

readwithsophsx's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Stalking

angelina_wlf's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Gore, Sexual content, Stalking, Mental illness, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Cursing, and Child abuse

Minor: Death of parent and Alcoholism

katcrowe69's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Death, Grief, Torture, Murder, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Kidnapping

baileyt2424's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, Rape, Violence, Vomit, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Blood

gracehannahh's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Mara is a struggling artist who is working 3 jobs just to get by. One evening at a show, she catches the attention of 2 of San Francisco's most notable artists, Cole and Alister. Unfortunately for Mara, both men are sociopaths and serial killers. 

Mara has had a troubled life. She has survived her alcoholic/abusive mother and abusive stepfather. She is on her own in San Francisco trying to get by day to day. She has been through hell. She is very feisty and independent. 

As her career takes off, her reliance and dependence on Cole becomes stronger. He is responsible for all of her success and he is the one protecting her from Alister. As their relationship progresses, she begins to change to reflect what Cole wants her to be.

So the question is, is she being manipulated by Cole or is he opening her up to who she truly is? I think he is preying upon her trauma to manipulate her into becoming who he wants her to be.

Had she never meet him, I doubt she would have ever gone so far as to kill her mother. Before Cole, she was trying to move on with her life and did not want to get revenge on her mom and stepfather.

Cole is a sociopath and murderer who cares about nothing other than getting what he wants. He is devoid of empathy, ruthless, and powerful. He and Alister have being in competition with each other since art school. Alister was obsessed with getting Cole's attention and wants him to collaborate on a "project". Mara is the unsuspecting victim that Alister chooses.

He leaves her to die near Cole's dumping ground, knowing that he will find her and hoping that he will kill her. Cole does not want to play this game with Alister. So, being the psycho that he is, when he finds her, he leaves her to die. After learning that Mara managed to survive, he becomes obsessed with her and begins to stalk her. He engrains himself into her life and makes her reliant on him. She becomes the center of his universe and he will stop at nothing to protect her, especially from Alister.

Cole has convinced himself that he loves Mara, but can a sociopath truly feel love? I think for Cole, his attachment to Mara is completly self-serving. Mara is under his control and he is able manipulate her into becoming what and who he wants. 

Tropes: taboo/dark romance 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Death, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Abandonment, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Stalking, and Emotional abuse

golden_like_dior's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, Stalking, Self harm, Abandonment, Abortion, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence