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Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'
De verdwenen meisjes van Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman
19 reviews
_theliteraturevillian_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Sage believed for six years her sister died of pneumonia only to find out at sixteen, her twin sister is being held at Willowbrook State School, “home” of the mentally declined. Sage takes a trip to Willowbrook to visit her sister and from there her life will never be the same.
I was rooting for Sage from beginning to end. Every experience she went through I felt with her to the point I was tearing on the train. To know that this story was inspired by true events made me even more emotional. To know that actual people, actual children had suffered, died at Willowbrook makes my stomach churn with disgust. Being a psych grad, I could go on and on about state institutions but we’ll leave that for another day.
2011 I received a letter from CSI (College of Staten Island) congratulating me on being accepted to their school. I turned down the offer due to the commute only for CSI to pop back into my life in the most unexpected way. What use to be Willowbrook State School is now the home of CSI. Definitely glad I turned them down 😩 ANYWAYS…
Character development ✅
Consistent tension✅
Engaging from start to finish✅
With a touch of history✅
Thank you @EllenMarieWiseman for teaching those of us who had no idea about Willowbrook.
Is this a MUST READ or PASS?
ITS A MUST READ
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Vomit, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Ableism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
julietteshore's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Excrement, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Child abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Grief, and Body horror
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape
remi_jane's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Abandonment
Moderate: Abandonment, Torture, Sexual violence, Murder, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Confinement
Minor: Suicide
xenalia's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Excrement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement
Moderate: Infertility, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Self harm, Abandonment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Death
amysbookishlife_yt's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Grief, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Death of parent
faithfullymoonstruck's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, and Excrement
carlycastle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Blood, and Child death
hannahbannah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Stalking, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Body horror, Death, and Drug abuse
morethanmylupus's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
If you are looking solely for a thriller, this isn't for you. But if you are looking for a book that showcases human atrocity and our capacity for treating other humans as less than ourselves... then you should read this. As a thriller, this was probably only an underwhelming 2 stars for me. But when I stop thinking about it as a thriller and just evaluate it as a book, it's a much better read.
Please check trigger warnings on this one if you're sensitive to certain topics.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Rape, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Murder, Violence, Misogyny, Child abuse, Ableism, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail