Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen

40 reviews

aijah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Blood, Child abuse, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Torture, and Violence

priscillarobock's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Medical content, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Slavery, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Bullying, and Toxic relationship

caitcalvert's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Gaslighting, Blood, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Child death, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Murder, Torture, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, and Child abuse

labbyreads's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

2.0

Read Full Review

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen takes readers on a heart-wrenching journey through the chilling true story of Shelly Knotek and the unimaginable abuse inflicted on her children. Olsen commendably highlights the victims' resilience, but the focus on family dynamics falls short of expectations. The characters feel one-dimensional, missing an opportunity to explore the psychology behind Shelly's actions. The dense and graphic content, coupled with a dragging middle section, makes for a challenging read. The pacing issues and a disjointed timeline contribute to a somewhat dissatisfying experience. While capturing unimaginable horrors, If You Tell falls short of being the best true crime, offering an okay but flawed narrative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Excrement, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Murder, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Violence, Torture, Animal death, Gaslighting, and Death

bhahnert's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Child abuse, Body horror, Stalking, Cursing, Child death, Homophobia, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence

spookysierra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death of parent, Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, Vomit, Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Gaslighting, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Addiction, and Violence

laciejanelle94's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Bullying, Child death, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Torture

marycfrank78's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Bullying, Torture, Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, and Murder

kimmykelly's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Excrement, Outing, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Vomit, Gaslighting, Gore, Violence, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

twistykris's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

3.75

The abuse and torture so many endured at the hands of Shelly (and Dave) is absolutely horrific. A very difficult read for the content involved (PLEASE check trigger/ content warnings).

I understand how difficult it must have been to compile all of this information from multiple people, but at times the book felt very repetitive and used a lot of unnecessary metaphors. 

Also, I have

VERY little sympathy for Dave. Yes, he was abused by Shelly and being a victim of someone so terrifying can alter your mentality, I know. But you CANNOT tell me he didn't know that what she was doing was so fucking wrong. He literally shot and killed his own nephew because she told him to. He watched his wife abuse her children and grown adults. He says he didn't know bleach was bad for the skin and thought it was fine that Shelly made Ron soak his feet in boiling water and bleach?? HUH?! And the fact they're both OUT AND FREE? Disgusting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism and Animal cruelty