Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

36 reviews

singalana's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Odotin koko ajan kuunnellessani milloin kirjan toiminta lähtee käyntiin, eikä se oikein ikinä lähtenyt. Valitettavasti hienosta miljööstä ja potentiaalista huolimatta teos oli pettymys.

Parantola on thriller, mutta kallistuu minusta ehkä hieman enemmän mysteerin puolelle. Mitään henkeäsalpaavaa jännitystä ei ole luvassa. Teos on Pearse ensimmäinen, ja esikoisteokseksi se on kuitenkin varsin kelvollinen. 

Rikostutkija Elin saapuu Sveitsin Alpeille juhlimaan veljensä Isaacin kihlajaisia. Juhlapaikkana toimii luksushotelliksi muutettu entinen tuberkuloosiparantola. Pian Isaacin morsian katoaa ja Alpeilta löydetään ruumis. Sään huonontuessa hotellivieraat joutuvat eristyksiin muusta maailmasta ja tappaja alkaa toteuttaa kostoaan. 

Päähenkilö Elin on menneisyyden piinaama. Hän on työstään virkavapaalla erään häntä järkyttäneen tapauksen jälkeen. Lisäksi Eliniä piinaavat tapahtumat vuosien takaa ja hän haluaa saada veljeltään Isaacilta vastauksia. Elin on haavoittuvainen hahmo, mutta yrittää kuitenkin pyristellä irti menneisyytensä kahleista. Muut hahmot nähdään Elinin perspektiivin kautta. 

Aluksi kirjailijan rauhallinen tyyli ja lukijan ääni toimi hyvin tunnelman luomiseksi. Verkkainen tyyli kuitenkin jatkuu läpi teoksen, jolloin jännityksen ytimeen ei oikein kunnolla päästä. Loppujen lopuksi kirjasta jäi sellainen vaikutelma, että asioita tehtiin vain estetiikan takia, jännittävien visuaalisten elementtien hakemiseksi siinä tapauksessa jos kirjasta tehtäisiin filmatisointi. 

Spoilereita!

En oikein missään vaikeessa päässyt sinuiksi Elinin toimintatapojen kanssa. Hän tekee henkilöistö ja tapahtumista usein vääriä tulkintoja, jotka osoittautuvat kohtalokkaiksi. Samat kuviot toistuvat useaan otteeseen. Lisäksi Elin käyttäytyy varsin omavaltaisesti tutkiessaan tapausta ja on vaikea kuvitella että hän selviäisi siitä noin vain ilman perusteellisia kuulusteluja.

Loppuratkaisu oli pettymys. Motiivin yhteys tuberkuloosiparantolan tapahtumiin oli heikko. Lisäksi oli epäuskottavaa miten monta ihmistä tapaukseen oli sotkeutunut.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Blood, Gore, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Death of parent, Dementia, and Rape

bodybeingsoulstl's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

You might enjoy this book if you...
... have traveled to / want to visit the Swiss Alps
... love a rogue-detective story
... would defend your sibling, no matter what

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Body horror, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Rape

trinityclaffey's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced which was exactly what I need most the time. Plus I absolutely loved the blast to the past historical points within the book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Body horror, Torture, Gore, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Murder

amandalachelle's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Stalking, Medical content, Death, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Body horror, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Rape, and Panic attacks/disorders

imiinbook's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror

ossington's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Rape, Murder, Body horror, Torture, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Cursing and Abortion

stephtoriz's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I was so confused by the ending or the epilogue </ spoiler > I thought they saw that Laure was the one who pushed her into the plunge pool which still doesn’t make sense if she was in hiding .. so this man that’s stalking her ? He did it ? Idk 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Vomit, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Cancer

magical_mads's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

1.5

The characters were very unlikable and frustrating. There were at least four or five plot twists within the last 100 pages. The motivations behind the murders made no sense. And then there was a feminist twist thrown in at the very end so that the author could make some social commentary or some thing, which was handled very poorly (in my opinion). I’m so disappointed because this kind of premise/commentary is 100% sent the thing that I normally go for. But this book is a no for me.

Also, I hated how in the topic of rape was treated in this book. It felt like it was shoved in as a last minute plot twist. It should never be treated like that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Stalking, Torture, Gaslighting, and Gore

Minor: Infertility, Rape, Abortion, and Sexual assault

zosiablue's review

dark mysterious 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? No

3.25

With a juicy name like Sanatorium and a spooky cover of a haunted-looking sanatorium and a plot that takes place in an old sanatorium, I wanted the main deal to be about a creepy old sanatorium! I felt tricked that it was a normal murder mystery loosely attached to the sanatorium but only loosely and not until the last 20% of the story. It was fine but I guess I wanted...less conventional murder and more tuberculosis??

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Body horror, Death, and Medical content

jamiejanae_6's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Murder, Rape, Stalking, and Torture