Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

85 reviews

_marycappiello3's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Grief, Mental illness, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

50shadesofrae's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I have complicated feelings about this one, 95% of which would require spoilers to explain. 
The last third-ish has some issues for me, but overall it was a really fascinating autopsy of the exorcist genre? And the deep voyeuristic horror of it? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Confinement, Excrement, Religious bigotry, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Murder, Self harm, Vomit, Body horror, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Addiction

nightlight_reader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual content, and Blood

guccishoestrings's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I have read this book twice over the course of 16 months as my creative writing (later horror film and literature) professor recommended and later required to read this book.

This book seems like a book about a teen getting an exorcism but that is not at all what this book is about. This book is more about a family that is damaged beyond repair, financially crushed, and seeking for any kind of hope they can find. There are really only two main characters in this book in Marjorie (the teen who is "possessed") and Merry (who is the narrator) with their mother and father being important but secondary main characters. The father of the family lost his job and has since pretty much become a cult like member at the church, the mother has been dealing with severe depression and with everything going on she has gotten much worse, and Marjorie is apparently possessed. Eventually a show is made to show the exorcism of Marjorie and the book goes from there.

I suggest reading this book once then after reflection and thought read it again in a week. There are so many little things that you miss through your first read through. I also suggest reading with a group of 4 or more people as after reading for a class, almost everybody has different thoughts on what the story and characters are conveying. Just do not go in expecting an exorcism horror book, because this is a different type of horror, just wait till the end of this book as it is truly heartbreaking.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, and Vomit

daniellecherny's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Excrement, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Self harm, Gaslighting, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Classism, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Cursing, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying

Ending is left open/ambiguous. If you need a clear ending that explains exactly what happened, don't read this book.

inkwithimagination's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.75

I enjoyed this book as it is, but I wish it were scarier. One thing that really turned me off while reading is the Blogger POV thing. For me, it would be better if the author just stuck with Merry's childhood memories rather than alternating between Merry's child POV and the Blog. 

The first part was creepy and gross enough to make me stop reading for a few hours, but later parts of the book became repetitive, and the plot suddenly took a nosedive. And the ending, well, it's okay for me.

Overall, it's a hit or miss for me—neither hating nor loving the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, and Death

vererito's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual content and Ableism

Minor: Violence, Vomit, and Gore

starsiren's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.0

Didn't get what I expected, but what I got was great!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Self harm, Death, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Gore, Blood, and Death of parent

add_a_little_spook's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gaslighting, Bullying, and Alcohol

princess_marie's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Vomit, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Minor: Death, Sexual content, Murder, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt