Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater

19 reviews

itsbumley's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Alcohol, Grief, Blood, Death of parent, Infidelity, Mass/school shootings, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcoholism, Stalking, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, and Vomit

sierraclimbs's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I don’t have a ton of feelings about this book upon reflection. 
I enjoyed reading it & I think it is an interesting commentary on true crime & the culture that surrounds it. 
I’m excited to discuss it with my bookclub because I think it will bring up a lot of interesting conversations. 
The thing I found the most interesting is maybe a bit of a spoiler but,

I found it interesting that if you isolate Laura’s perspective from Roach’s, it never seems like Roach is doing anything that sinister… if it was just a book about Laura, you would think she is an unreliable narrator

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Stalking, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Vomit

This book is meant to make you uncomfortable. I wouldn’t say it glorifies anything, at least not without contradicting it in the next chapter.

elgin's review

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Addiction

Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Dysphoria, and Bullying

Minor: Mass/school shootings, Violence, Excrement, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Vomit, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Blood, Murder, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Mental illness

perksofbeingemily's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Murder, Alcoholism, Death, Gaslighting, and Stalking

isb_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

Wow. Just wow. This book was an unnerving, grotesque, intriguing, mind-effing wonder. I felt so deeply connected to the characters that it was easy to slip into the dark world Alice Slater has created here. Obsession is a powerful thing, and this book will not soon leave my mind. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Gore, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Stalking, Blood, Body horror, and Murder

thebookcident's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

5.0

I don't often read crime/ thrillers, but I really enjoyed this one. The switching POV helped give me a needed break from each character and added to the tension. I think Slater had done a great job of creating two distinct voices for each character, that each leaves the reader feeling a certain way. Both of the protagonists are heavily flawed and I would say unlikeable, which I quite liked. I don't need to like a character to want to read them. 
I found lots of visually evoking imagery was used that rinsed my pallet from the darker themes in this novel. 
Also, Slater really captures the feeling of being a retail working over the Xmas period PERFECTLY. 😅
Would recommend as a summer read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Blood, Death, Grief, Rape, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

msbedelia's review

dark tense slow-paced

• 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Stalking, Alcoholism, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Murder and Death of parent

katndrsn's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.25

Well the first 75% of the book had the potential to build to something brilliant but the ending was contrite and the epilogues were extra nails in the coffin. Disappointing really, I had much higher hopes for this novel. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Bullying

Minor: Blood and Mass/school shootings

thenovelbookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This is a psychological, slow burn thriller that will leave you shaking and looking over your shoulder at some of your own colleagues.
  
Roach works at Spines and is more than obsessed with true crime, where the killers are more fun to think about than the actual victims.
  
When Laura joins the bookstore, Roach feels like there is a special bond between them. First, when Laura performs her dark poem at a recital, which Roach obsesses over. Next, when a drunken Laura openly admits her mother was killed, which spurs Roach into a dark plan with her goth rock boyfriend. 
  
We follow Roach down that dark path, ensuring Laura knows how special their friendship is until lines are crossed.
  
This is a novel so well written that it could be true, a scenario so lifelike and characters that you can find in any workplace, all combined with a story that will leave you spooked.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, and Stalking

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Animal death

Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

laurajordensharris's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Drug use, Blood, Cursing, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, and Mental illness