Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

7 reviews

ztremohno's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

As is customary when I pick up a Harrow novel, I am swept up in comforting prose that masks the complexity of the human animal. To call this books characters loveable would be doing a diservice to the way they were written. That said, the house is most certainly a character of it's own. If you were a fan of The Thousand Doors of January and The Once and Future Witches, this should be right up your alley

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Minor: Child abuse, Incest, and Toxic relationship

cyndi1966's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Abandonment, and Car accident

Moderate: Violence

gracescanlon's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Self harm, Death of parent, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Alcohol, Car accident, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Death, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Incest, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Animal death, Slavery, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Violence, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, and Sexual content

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.0

Excellent narration added to this creepy horror novel.  Perfect for October.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Sexism, Violence, Classism, Grief, Incest, Kidnapping, Stalking, Abandonment, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Toxic friendship

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual content, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abortion, Incest, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Classism, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, and Racism

fivecatsinacoat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced review copy of this book.

I cannot adequately put into words how much I loved this book. It's filled with complicated and detailed characters whose actions sometimes really make it hard to root for them, but you can't help loving (many) of them anyway. 

It would be so easy to lean too far into the cheesy aspects of a House that's somehow alive and monsters made of mist, but Harrow's talent instead creates an intricate world that's the perfect amount of gothic with a sprinkling of light horror and fantasy. I find myself thinking about it in the days since I finished. I want to get lost in the House and fall asleep on the lawn listening to the starlings sing.

I also listened to the audio version and Natalie Naudus really does an amazing job. Her pacing and acting is so perfect that you really feel as if you're in Eden. I wouls listen to anything she narrates!

Fyi: the cat does not die. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Blood, Car accident, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racism, Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Vomit, and Incest

Minor: Slavery and Toxic relationship