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solnit_and_sebastian's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
I found the perspective to be interesting: several chapters go by before the reader is formally introduced to the narrator's character. The thought process of this narrator, coupled with the book's focus on cognitive behavioral therapy and logical definitions of emotional concepts, made for an intriguing perspective. I suspected a couple of characters of the crime, but was still surprised by the ending, as by the various degrees of culpability of the characters. Be advised, the content is at times highly disturbing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Rape, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Stalking
jamiee_f's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Jenny Kramer was the victim of a brutal assault that absolutely shatters the facade of her quiet town. Her parents, Tom and Charlotte, end up deciding to give her the experimental drug that prevents memories from forming the night the assault takes place. However, not remembering is not the same as forgetting, and the whole family engages in therapy to help them cope with the aftermath.
Dr Alan Forrester is the psychiatrist at the heart of this tale. He is the family therapist, and he's also the narrator. As the book progresses, it becomes clear that he is maybe not the most reliable narrator. He clearly is passionate about helping Jenny, doing lots of work with her to help her uncover painful memories so she can move on. However, as Jenny's memories begin to point towards perhaps his own son as the perpetrator of her rape, he starts planting seeds and making suggestions to Jenny and her parents about what might have happened.
Ultimately, it's revealed that our chaotic, self centered narrator knew exactly who did this heinous crime from the very beginning, because he himself suffered nearly an identical attack as a child. It turns our when he was a prison psychiatrist, he told the story of his own childhood assault to a prisoner, who then wanted to recreate that assault on Dr Forrester's own son as some kind of sick retaliation. He ended up unable to catch the son, and randomly attacked Jenny instead, acting out the very specific rape and assault on her instead. It becomes clear with this eleventh hour reveal that Dr Forrester has masterminded this whole process. The prisoner ends up dead, the Kramer family ends up mostly pieced back together, and it is a satisfying ending.
Ultimately, it's revealed that our chaotic, self centered narrator knew exactly who did this heinous crime from the very beginning, because he himself suffered nearly an identical attack as a child. It turns our when he was a prison psychiatrist, he told the story of his own childhood assault to a prisoner, who then wanted to recreate that assault on Dr Forrester's own son as some kind of sick retaliation. He ended up unable to catch the son, and randomly attacked Jenny instead, acting out the very specific rape and assault on her instead. It becomes clear with this eleventh hour reveal that Dr Forrester has masterminded this whole process. The prisoner ends up dead, the Kramer family ends up mostly pieced back together, and it is a satisfying ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence
craftyanty's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is one dark and twisted book.
It's more graphic than necessary, definitely needs a trigger warning for rape/sexual assault... I'm not triggered but even I had a hard time getting through some parts.
It's more graphic than necessary, definitely needs a trigger warning for rape/sexual assault... I'm not triggered but even I had a hard time getting through some parts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Suicide, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide attempt
outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Teenager Jenny Kraemer goes to a party hoping to celebrate with the boy she has had a crush on for ages, but ends the night running away in tears towards the woods, where she is sexually assaulted. Her injuries are so bad that her mother agrees for her to be given a treatment which renders the patient unable to remember what happened. Unfortunately it doesn't take away the feelings about what happened & Jenny spirals into depression. Meanwhile Jenny's parents are facing issues of their own & their marriage is on the edge.
Jenny starts to have sessions with a therapist to help her cope. Dr Alan Forrester disagrees with the treatment & wants to help Jenny remember what happened. Jenny also wants to remember, since as she cannot remember who attacked her, it could be anyone she meets. The boy sitting opposite her in class, the man at the bus stop, & how would she know?
Yeah, I hated this. Main reason is the narrator, the therapist, Dr Alan Forrester, who quite frankly should be struck off, disbarred, whatever the equivalent is for therapists. Machiavellian to the extreme, his actions go against everything a therapist should do. This book could be very triggering - there's infidelity, a suicide attempt, sexual content, & the sexual assault is graphically described at times. Now I've read very dark books before, but I can't think of anything redeeming about this one.
Jenny starts to have sessions with a therapist to help her cope. Dr Alan Forrester disagrees with the treatment & wants to help Jenny remember what happened. Jenny also wants to remember, since as she cannot remember who attacked her, it could be anyone she meets. The boy sitting opposite her in class, the man at the bus stop, & how would she know?
Yeah, I hated this. Main reason is the narrator, the therapist, Dr Alan Forrester, who quite frankly should be struck off, disbarred, whatever the equivalent is for therapists. Machiavellian to the extreme, his actions go against everything a therapist should do. This book could be very triggering - there's infidelity, a suicide attempt, sexual content, & the sexual assault is graphically described at times. Now I've read very dark books before, but I can't think of anything redeeming about this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity
cepbreed's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
I was thrown for so many loops while reading this book I couldn't put it down. My feelings toward all the characters were ever so fluctuating I cannot say any of them were genuinely good people, but Jenny is the exception. I'm so thankful to my friend for lending this to me because it changed my life. Not in a "I'm going to be a good person now" way but a "maybe I'll finally give therapy a second chance" way lol.
Songs:
Songs:
- Yung and Writing - Rew
- Teen Idle - Marina and the Diamonds
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, and Infidelity
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Medical content
liv99's review
dark
mysterious
medium-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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Murder, Violence, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Death, and Child abuse
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