Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Searcher by Tana French

50 reviews

jodar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

A well-written crime story. If it hadn’t bogged down in the middle part, I’d give it a higher rating.  In a way the crime isn’t central to the novel, and there’s not much suspense. Instead, the mystery is the means by which the characters are compelled to face dilemmas and hard truths. 

The MC is a bit stereotypical: a retired policeman looking to rehabilitate himself after an unhappy marriage in a new, apparently peaceful and remote part of the world. That said,  the MC is a likeable man who’s aware of his personal strengths and weaknesses. The relationship he develops, almost accidentally, with a young, distressed girl – central to the plot – is developed with care and insight. So too the MC’s internal struggles in reconciling his own code of conduct with his past family and work experiences, the new attitudes of his children’s generation and the repercussions of the crime he works to uncover. 

The description of the environment is attractively portrayed and sets up a sharp discordance with the brutality of what the MC eventually uncovers. Some of the seemingly cheerful, friendly inhabitants likewise are at variance with the reality the MC comes to understand.

Well worth reading provided you’re not looking for an action-packed, fast-moving crime thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Violence, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicide and Xenophobia

wyabook234's review against another edition

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcoholism

kshy's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Police brutality, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicide and Stalking

emilye's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Murder

Minor: Drug use and Suicide

chelsl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, and Classism

aseel_reads's review against another edition

mysterious tense 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

1.0

I only continued with this book because it was an easy audiobook to listen to, otherwise, it became copganda about halfway through and then it had some really off putting actions by certain characters who never got punished and I don't like that 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

undersea's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

2.5

Pretty slow, not my can happens. There’s a mystery but, it all feels pretty low stakes. Good writing. Honestly a good bedtime read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Child death

sophmcgraw's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, and Police brutality

xkwright's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Torture, and Police brutality

aprilthelibrarian's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

I love Tana French's book and writing. I listened to the audiobook which was well done, as you could hear all the accents. I think this is a wonderful book in terms of a strong sense of place for Ireland. I really enjoyed the relationship between Cal the main character and the local kid Trey, as Cal ended up taking a parental figure role. 
If you are looking for a book with a gloomy Irish countryside in a small town, where all the locals know everyone's business, and there is a mystery of a missing teen, this is a great book to pick up.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism and Animal cruelty