Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

10 reviews

theirgracegrace's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.0

Recommended by a friend, I enjoyed The Screaming Staircase quite a lot. The setting of this alternate London is similar to our own, but coloured by the supernatural in a way familiar to fans of the Bartimaeus trilogy - which I read ages ago but remember fondly. Not only do the trio of Lockwood & Co. have to deal with the unquiet (and often grotesque and violent) dead, but also the political machinations of the British gentry and the attempts of rivals to close down their agency. The story progresses like a horror-filled Sherlock-esque mystery, and the ending is incredibly satisfying.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Bullying, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Blood, Mental illness, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Body shaming, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Misogyny, Abandonment, Classism, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, and Torture

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Cursing, Forced institutionalization, and Vomit

aleshag's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

I loved reading this! The books emphasizes a lot on the importance of preparation, patience, and planning ahead of time. If you like mystery/supernatural stories, this is a great book to check out! I was hooked from the beginning, I love the detail in the ghost encounters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Suicide and Child abuse

Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent

sel_dem's review

3.75

I did watch the show first so there really wasn’t much suspense. Though, the ending still had me on the edge of my seat. 

But also, what is up with George’s description? Like, I get

Lucy doesn’t like him much in the beginning

, but couldn’t that be shown without all the fatphobia??? George is literally my fave, my boy does not deserve that. He’s the only reason this book is funny. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia

Moderate: Child abuse

saurahsaurus's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Blood, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Death, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Classism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Violence

vreadsalot's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

CAWPILE: 7.69/4*

George verdient zo veel beter dan de beledigingen die dit boek naar zijn hoofd gooit :(.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child death and Child abuse

Minor: Death of parent

rafacolog's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, and Child abuse

iladevlin28's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny inspiring mysterious tense fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Child death

Minor: Child abuse

lqvekanej's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Death

Minor: Blood

frankahilde's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I finally reread this book after six years and I have to say, I still absolutely love this!! 

The world building is so great and seems so effortlessly real. (Apart from there being no laws to protect children from life threatening Labour but I guess the whole story wouldn’t work without that)  I just want to explore lockwoods home, read all of his books, get snacks in the cozy kitchen and marble at all their magic artifacts, this entire house is a child’s dream come true.

 My favorite part back then and today are the first few chapters, I just couldn’t put my book down. Annie awards story is really touching to me and I definitely prefer it over the second big ghost hunting nights in the book because I feel like the personal connection got lost a little bit. 

I will reread the second book for sure and hopefully finish the whole series this time since I can just buy books now lol 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Fatphobia and Child abuse

claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

50 years ago, the Problem started: the dead no longer stay dead, but come back as “visitors” whose touch results in injury and even death. Only children have the ability to perceive these ghosts, so many choose to train as operatives for psychic detection and removal agencies. Lucy Carlyle comes to London looking for a job after a traumatic experience in the field, and is hired by the charming and charismatic Anthony Lockwood of Lockwood & Co. After a few crucial mistakes during a job, the Lockwood agency is in danger of being shut down. In a last ditch effort to come up with the money they need, Lockwood agrees to take a case in the most haunted house in England: Combe Carey Hall. 

This book felt like what you might get if you took Enola Holmes and added paranormal activity (and also made it even better). I loved the characters: smart, intuitive Lucy, selfless, charismatic Lockwood, and stubborn, curmudgeonly George. The mystery was fun and engaging, and I’ve always liked stories that placed importance on youth in connection with the fantastical (in this case, only young people can see or sense visitors).

Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the general vibe of the ending):

Happy!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexism, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts