Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

55 reviews

scraig04018's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

I wish there were more than 5 stars. I wish that my words were eloquent enough to describe just how beautiful this book is. My first book by thus author and was hooked. The characters tug at your heart. You want to hug each of them, the setting and plot is beautiful but dark and frightful. But, the community and acceptance is beautiful. I cannot say enough, this is one of my top 5 ever read and I will be reading it again to find things I've missed! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Pregnancy, Death, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Murder, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Violence

As many trigger warnings as there are. Thus is a story of survival and finding one's voice. It's beautiful.

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

Lenny's father moves their family to Alaska . At first, it seems like their prayers have been answered, her father seems happy for once. But they are wholely unprepared for the life ahead of them in the Great Alone as Alaska reveals the truth of who they all really are. 

This book destroyed me and then built me back up again. In this beautiful story, we follow Lenny's emotional and difficult journey of self-discovery. Every turn is wracked with hardship and pain. Lenny is one of the most resilient and complex characters I have read in a long time. Every turn of the page seemed to bring a new challenge that she bravely faces and overcomes. Her story is complex and hard to read at times as she endured her father's abuse and her parents tumultuous relationship. 

Matthew's storyline was equally as challenging. His family has been in Alaska for generations, basically Alaska Royalty.  I loved how we got to see the progression of his and Lenny's friendship, from childhood to teens in love to adults fighting for their future together. Like Lenny, he has endured so much pain

(the death of his mother, his accident, years of rehabilitation), yet he has survived it all in hopes that Lenny will come back to him one day. Their reunion had me in tears.

I want to call her mother selfish, she held back Lenny and in a way used her as a shield. But, she was a battered and abused woman. Broken in so many ways, just trying to survive and keep her daughter safe. Should she have left her abusive husband? Obviously we are all screaming yes to this question. Yet, it is not that simple. Her mind was in survival mode, just survive the day, the week, hopeful that it will get better. The psychology of an abused woman is complex and I think that this book highlights this in an accurate way. 

I loved the setting of this book.  Small town, backwoods Alaska, off the grid community full of colourful character who support each other through difficulties in such an isolated place. The setting was vibrant and authentic. It is it's own character in this novel. Alaska the last frontier, beautiful one moment, trying to kill you the next. 

The supporting characters were some of my favourite. Tough women who were living off the land and succeeding in such a harsh environment. Large Marge was obviously the stand out. She is tough, but so compassionate and caring. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Grief, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Toxic relationship

samburkhouse's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Medical trauma, and Violence

Moderate: Terminal illness, Cancer, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Animal death, and Car accident

Minor: Sexual content, Confinement, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Vomit

indydc's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gore, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Body horror, Gun violence, Murder, Animal death, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Violence

Moderate: War, Kidnapping, Medical content, Fatphobia, and Cancer

momsmagicreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Medical content, Pregnancy, Vomit, Addiction, Car accident, Death of parent, and Terminal illness

lisaz1967's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

4.5 stars. Trigger warning: domestic abuse. Alaska scenes are beautifully written. I was drawn in and fell in love. I loved the relationship with Matthew and Leni. First love. My heart ached with Leni when she had to flee and leave him behind. I wanted the happy ending but also felt it unreal. In the end, I loved this book! It kept my interest. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent

heidishartrandnewell's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Body shaming, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Racism, Religious bigotry, and War

lydiahollern's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Violence, Mental illness, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Emotional abuse

kaestrong's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Kristin Hannah does something unbelievably touching in this story. From the first page you know it's going to be a great story and it delivers on that promise, 110%. A MUST read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Death, Alcoholism, Cancer, Abandonment, Death of parent, Blood, Grief, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

chelsearosales's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: War and Pregnancy