Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Stora vackra liv

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Stora vackra liv by Emily Henry

11 reviews

jackiepreston's review against another edition

3.5

emotional funny 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: No

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think this book would have been better without the romance. Hayden never felt like more than a cardboard cutout of a character, so I never cared about the romance and whether one of them getting this writing job over the other would affect their relationship.

Now the story of Alice and Margaret learning to trust each other, and Margaret's mostly-true stories, were a major highlight. I enjoyed Alice as a main character, even if I couldn't relate to her overly-sunny disposition. If more of the story could have been these two interacting (maybe with more Jodi too?) I would have liked this more.

I also didn't care for the choice to make Hayden the secret grandchild here. Because I didn't connect to him at all throughout this book, and how we got a single conversation about his mom, it felt like a let down for that relationship (or lack thereof) to be the catalyst of the book. Either make it connected to Alice or flesh out both Hayden and his mother more.

Content Warnings

hjb_128's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective 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

Content Warnings

lex_is_bookish's review against another edition

4.5

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

lilo000's review against another edition

3.75

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Enjoyable at the end. Got a little annoyed with who we were spending the most time with and who I found actually important. Odd to have 3 main characters written in this way. I did not appreciate the set up of "their version, her version." Still had some poignant moments and quality writing.

Content Warnings

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

3.25

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book felt like it was trying to be two books at once. It was trying to be a bit of both a literary mystery and a contemporary romance book. The two didn’t weave that well together, however.

I hated all the edging the author did with the MC’s sexual relationship. I think she was trying to keep it from being “too spicy” for her readers, but still spicy enough. However, it just got frustrating. I get the building anticipation of them having intercourse, but it just took too long!

I liked most of the characters, all the townspeople, Cecil and Margaret especially, though others not as much, looking at you, Alice, and especially her mom, and Theo.

Overall, it was a decent book. Mostly, the structure just didn’t work for me. As well as the drawn-out nature of the MCs’ relationship, and their admitting their feelings and desires.

Narrator Rating: 4.75 stars

I wish they’d gotten someone else to narrate the section of the book that was supposed to be part of the biography. Julia Whelan is wonderful and did an amazing job, however, I feel like having dual narration would have been better for the two intertwined sections of the book.

Elements

Heartfelt-💔💔💔

Horror- N/A

Love aka Romance- 💋 💋 💋 💋 & 1/2

Predictability-🔮 🔮 🔮

Spice- 🌶 🌶 🌶

Tear- 😭 & 1/2

Thrill- N/A

Humor- 😜 😜 & 1/2

Content Warnings