Reviews with content warning for Suicide - For Your Own Good

The first 100 pages or so left me skeptical, I didn't particularly enjoy them. (To be fair, that was partly because I really didn't enjoy the character that seemed to be at the centre of it, and he wasn't supposed to be likeable, so that was a problem I pretty much knew was going to happen.) However, it got a lot better after a certain time!

I think part of it had to do with the fact that the aforementioned character, Teddy, wasn't the only perspective I read from. The story was told from a whole cast of characters and even changed within one chapter several times, which kept things interesting. And while no one was extremely likeable, not all of them were narcissistic psychopaths, and most of them did feel very real and authentic.

Plus, there were so many twists and turns! I was actually surprised by how hooked I was, because I thought going into it that it was going to be very clear-cut. And while yes, the murderer was who you thought he was the entire time, there were still some directions Downing took that made the story intriguing and not boring and entirely predictable. I definitely enjoyed this a lot more than "My Lovely Wife"!

Content Warnings

ronnieb's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

Trigger Warning: Suicide

WOW! Another banger from Samantha Downing! For Your Own Good follows a story at a very prestigious school as a string of mysterious deaths start to take place and teachers, staff, and students are all connected in this twisty tale.

I do not want to say too much other than reading this will not disappoint! It is so fast-paced and twisty that you will not want to put it down. It does the classic trope of every chapter or character section ending on a little or big cliffhanger. The writing is brisk and fast-paced and the character and their dynamics are so interesting to read about. I think this may be my new favorite Samantha Downing!

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rachelibrarian's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

3.0

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logger_j's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

the_disreputable_dog's review

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dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was really good. It was a good anti-hero story, and I was reminded a lot of Macbeth. I enjoyed all the characters, and I enjoyed that many were unreliable narrators as well. They always keep things interesting. It felt like you enter this story only knowing about half the info, and then you're seeking info out right along with the characters. I also like that nobody is really all that innocent in this book. All in all, I would recommend it to anyone who likes anti-heroes, unreliable narrators, or very dark stories with plenty of death.

Content Warnings

nicoleceballos's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Content Warnings

lyrical_lys's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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