Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater

6 reviews

isb_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

Wow. Just wow. This book was an unnerving, grotesque, intriguing, mind-effing wonder. I felt so deeply connected to the characters that it was easy to slip into the dark world Alice Slater has created here. Obsession is a powerful thing, and this book will not soon leave my mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Gore, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Stalking, Blood, Body horror, and Murder

nightyvaqs's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Blood, Gore, Vomit, Stalking, Violence, and Toxic friendship

laurajordensharris's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Drug use, Blood, Cursing, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, and Mental illness

sarahsbookss's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Gaslighting, Excrement, Grief, Infidelity, Death, Murder, Self harm, Sexual content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Blood, Stalking, Alcoholism, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

linguaphile412's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Alcohol, Stalking, Gaslighting, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and Drug use

Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, and Self harm

minimicropup's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Main POVs 👌: Dual perspectives with subtle changes to the first-person narrative (deep in their mind type) 

• A bookseller in their 20s. They are struggling to cope with a family member’s death being in the annals of true crime. They are popular and outgoing but also judgmental, obsessive, and resentful. They cope through social drinking and writing poetry about victims of crime. 
• A bookseller in their 20s. They are socially obtuse and feeling unheard, unloved, and unseen. They are optimistic and forgiving, but also judgmental, obsessive, and resentful. They cope with their situation by immersing themselves in true crime and all things morbid and macabre.

 

Atmosphere 👌: Immersive, grim, and intense

• Set in a bookstore, and pubs and flats of Walthamstow (London), UK
• Contains some festive Christmas season/party vibes for the seasonal reader 🧑‍🎄

 

Cred Rating: Realistic 

• Relatable portrayals of how we see (and judge) others based on appearance, hygiene, lifestyle, interests, and sociability (and how sometimes those judgements aren’t wrong!) with realistic consequences of those beliefs and actions.

 

Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags 🐺🐕: 

• Excellent commentary on true crime consumption. It’s subtle but direct. We aren’t forced to take a side or declare one outlook correct above all others, but it made me think about who has the “right” to talk about true crime and share those stories. 
• This is a character-driven story that centers on two MCs who are very different, yet very similar in how they view people that fall outside of their “circles”. Both assume they are in the right, and as the reader we have moments where we empathize with or are horrified (even disgusted) by the MCs. Since the narrators are both relatable and unlikeable, you don’t need to “like” one or “hate” the other to stay engaged with the story. That said, if you aren’t a fan of character-driven stories this may be too slow or difficult to get through.
• Mild cliffhanger ending. It didn’t break the story or frustrate me – it just made me wish there were more pages after the end!

 

Reading Journey ☺️: Curled up in a comfy reading nook, lost-in-another-world time-warp.

 

Mood Reading Match-Up:

• Character studies of adults in their 20s still figuring out who they are and who they want to be
• Thought-provoking commentary on true crime using symbolism, irony, and realistic consequences and reactions
• Retail literary/contemporary drama with touches of unrequited love (and unrequited like), shame spirals, and finding your people
• Creepy, discomforting suspense with “stuck together”, “did they or didn’t they?”, “stalker/obsession” tropes 

 

Vibes: 🫢😧🤗

 

Content Heads-Up: Binge-drinking and self-medicating with alcohol. Death of a parent. Stalking and obsession. 

 

Format: Library Digital via Libby

 

This was one of my Favourite Books of 2023 😍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Stalking

Moderate: Vomit and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content and Infidelity