Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Confessions by Kanae Minato

7 reviews

eabh's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

2.0

I knew from reading the back of this book’s that it’s genre and plot was not my cup of tea. However, it was a pick for a book club read. And for the first half of the book, I was intrigued and mildly engaged. But when shit hit the fan in the second half, I was left feeling disturbed, frustrated, and disappointed.

This book was much more distressing than I anticipated. Through the shifting perspectives of Confessions, you learn more about the experiences that happen that shape the character’s beliefs and decision making. I found there to be so much senseless violence and cognitive over analysis that I was both unsettled and uninvested in this book. 

Besides that, this novel felt very far fetched and unlikely to happen IRL, so it was challenging for me to suspend reality and stay invested through this book. 

A few things I did enjoy: the multiple narrator style was well written and the dynamics between the characters was interesting to see unravel in the story. 

Overall, this book was slow, repetitive, and twisted to me. 2 stars feels generous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Child death, Death, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Blood

Moderate: Miscarriage and Toxic relationship

Minor: Miscarriage

callidoralblack's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Physical abuse, Bullying, Death, Grief, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Torture, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

hayley2u's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.0

I should start off by saying this is there second Japanese translation I've read and I didn't like either one. I think it's a personal preference thing. I don't seem to click with the writing style. 

I really wanted to like this. I've heard amazing things about the plot and twists the story takes. Don't get me wrong this book is a rollercoaster, but I wasn't invested. If you need to relate to characters to be invested (like I do) this is not a book for you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gaslighting, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Child death, and Emotional abuse

julienicole1106's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Abandonment, Animal death, Child death, Grief, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence

middleagedbookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Whoa. What a ride. Such a unique, disturbing, well-written novel. The author did an amazing job conveying what goes on in the mind of a seriously depraved individual. 

The only reason I did not give this five stars may have been for the wrong reasons… some of the material honestly disturbed me and made me sick to my stomach. I had to put the book down a few times and watch something funny on TV, and try to find something to distract me or give me hope in mankind 🤣 I will take slasher horror films (or books) any day over something psychologically disturbing… the human mind scares me more than anything!! 

If you like psychologically disturbing books, you will love this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Child death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Blood, Abandonment, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, and Physical abuse

Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty

alicelalicon's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child death, Death, Grief, Medical content, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Child abuse

kelseyholler's review

dark mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence