Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

32 reviews

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

md3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicide, Death, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Misogyny, Death of parent, Blood, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Gun violence

moxiereads's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and War

dragonhearts_library's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Violence, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

town_scar's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

Docked a star because the timey-wimey stuff got to be hard to follow. I found the end very confusing and hard to follow. I did read this while actively traveling in Dublin so its possible my travel brain made it harder to follow along.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Physical abuse, Death, Child death, and Misogyny

Moderate: War, Mental illness, Stalking, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Grief

littlecatinabox's review

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Gaslighting and Pregnancy

Minor: Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, and Sexual content

winglesswarrior's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse

hrobles1009's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Child death

Minor: Alcoholism and Addiction

brynipoo's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I LOVED this book. A beautiful display of magical realism. I loved guessing ties and clues along the way and it felt like such a reward to get a few right!! It held me the entire time and my heart broke over and over again for Opaline. Yet the growth and beauty that is discovered for all the characters is so rewarding. 🥹

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Suicide, Alcoholism, and Miscarriage