Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

41 reviews

nooks_cranny's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

3.75

I thought it was going to be a cozy read but it turned out darker than I thought. It was a good book to pass the time, I didn’t really feel any attachment to any character aside from Madame Bowden. I would love to know more about her but that would ruin the fun and mystery. I also didn’t know I would learn tiny snippets about Irish history

especially concerning the German soldiers

.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Grief, Confinement, Abandonment, War, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Murder, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Ableism

okiecozyreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.25

THE LOST BOOKSHOP started off very much like I expected. There is a vanishing bookshop that only a few have seen, and the back story of how the bookshop existed. In the current day, Martha works at Shakespeare and Company and retreats to Dublin after her husband is abusive. There she meets Madame Bowden, who is looking for a housekeeper. Henry is looking to solve the mystery of Emily Brontë’s missing manuscript, and Opaline tells us her story of her bookshop, the men who swindled her and how she persevered.

I loved all the bookish references - the magical bookshop, the Mont Blanc Le Petit Prince pen (which I didn’t know existed, but what a fun surprise p76-77), and all of the books (Normal People by Sally Rooney) and quotes. This book does go to some dark places in the ways that women are treated by men. It took me a while to keep track of who everyone was and how they were related but I was glad I stuck with it. 

“In the story, there was a young woman who came to the library, miles away from her true home. She read a story about a girl who had come to a fork in the road and was so afraid of making the wrong decision that she stayed where she was, huddled in the hollow of a tree. After several days, an old woman came along and told her a riddle. She asked, 'What is something you create, even if you do nothing?' The answer was a choice.
Choosing not to do something was still a choice.” P143

“It is strange how seemingly inconsequential conversations suddenly take on the mantle of fate and destiny when cast in a new light.” P253

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Violence, Alcoholism, and Physical abuse

empheliath's review against another edition

There was SO MUCH violence against women! Domestic violence, women being beaten, imprisoned by hateful family members, kidnapped. I couldn't take it anymore. Book descriptions led me to believe this was a cozy bookshop mystery. If I'd been warned about the violent content I'd never have picked it up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, Abandonment, and Sexism

ivi_reads_books's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

2.75

Liked the dual timeline but did not understand the attraction between any of the love interests. A lot happens plot-wise in a very short time and it didn't always make sense to me how characters acted. I would have preferred if the author explored the inner workings of the characters more rather stumbling from one tragic event to the next.
If you don't want to read about certain topics consult the trigger warnings as this book is quite dark.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Sexism, Mental illness, Classism, Pregnancy, Murder, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: War

fancyjess_party's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious 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? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Child death, Death of parent, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Self harm, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

rosietomyn's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, War, Stalking, and Addiction

cloudyishappy's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious relaxing 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Physical abuse

libraryofdreaming's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

1.0

For a book about a magical bookshop, this had very little magic and very little about the actual bookshop. I struggled to connect with the characters as they made increasingly baffling decisions. The small bits of fantasy were just weird, not entertaining. There were quite a few plot holes too. I wanted to root for the romance(s) but they involved so much cheating and lack of communication I couldn't connect with them at all. 

I ended up putting the audiobook on 3x speed just to finish and even then it seemed never ending. Also, I feel like none of the blurbs or reviews I read really conveyed how GRIM this book is as it deals with domestic abuse and forced institutionalization. Once again I simply beg publishers/authors to add trigger/content warnings!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

tnm94's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: War and Violence

rubymajor's review against another edition

3.75

I don't usually use .25 ratings but I really struggled to rate this book. 

The book definitely wasn't what I was expecting it to be. I picked it up expecting a more of a fantasy/magical realism book, but it turned out to be more of a historical fiction with a sprinkling of magical realism. Coming from that perspective, I was pretty disappointed that the magic of the bookshop was largely ignored or glossed over. It seemed more of an extraneous detail, had you taken it away I don't think it would have changed the overall story much. I would have really liked to have read more about the bookshop and how the magic of it worked, where it came from, etc. 

That being said, I think if I had picked this up expecting more of a historical fiction, I would have been enchanted by the subtle hints of magic and whimsy. It this sense, I would say it's a cozy, whimsical book perfect for casual reading by a fire with some tea - it just gives off those vibes. In between there is some truly beautiful writing and some fabulous tidbits of women finding and owning their power in a time and world that doesn't value them. The author's love of books is obvious, not only in the characters love of books, but in the many wonderful quotes about the power of books and stories. I thought that the 3 POV's and dual timelines were very skillfully intertwined, and I really enjoyed finding all the little connections as we alternated between them. 

My biggest complaint though:

WHO WAS MADAME BOWDEN?! What happened to her? Who was she really? She was one of my favourite characters and I wanted more!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Child death, Mental illness, Infidelity, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse