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wowsmeows's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-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
3.5
"Reading is a way of life for some customers, the
kind of customers who buy more than they read, who behave as though 'bookworm' is as inherent as their blood type or their astrological sign."
Death of a Bookseller is about two characters told through their alternating POVs. There's Roach, a creepy true crime fanatic and Laura, who is unhealthily dealing with her traumatic past. The pair work together in a bookshop are are both unlikeable in their own unique ways. The book explores the idea of hating someone so much that it turns into an obsession and morphs into stalking. As the title suggests, it does delve into a lot of morbid topics with a lot of grotesque language and descriptions throughout. I'd recommend checking out content warnings for this read. However, it is a very slow read and because we have the split POV, I dont think I would personally class it as mystery or a thriller novel as we know what both characters are doing and thinking at all times.
What I I did enjoy was that it had some interesting ideas around the ethics of true crime as a genre. It really made me think about how healthy it really is to consume true crime content. I also thought the book was well written and I thought both characters had distinct personalities that shone through in the text.
I will say that I did dislike the ending and I did feel a bit frustrated by it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking, Vomit, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Violence, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, and Gore
lottieingham's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Stalking, Vomit, Death of parent, Grief, Death, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
mj_86's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
2.75
This book made me so uncomfortable in the worst way. Roach gave me the ick.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Death of parent, and Stalking
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, and Vomit
wrackspurtt's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Stalking, Alcohol, Murder, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood and Vomit
partly_stars's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
That was a good book. A story about obsession, grief, death and true crime un modern society. Mostly obsession.
It was a dark read that still felt emotionally grounded in the reality. Both women are kinda fucked up in their own ways. Laura - self destructive in her grief and loneliness, drawning her pain in alcohol. It did really feel like an interesting portrayal of what trauma can do to a person. Roach - truly a creep with obsessive interest in Laura. Justyfing everything she does in her mind, bot being abke to comprehend emotional states of other people.
Both of them flawed but also with things that make the reader emotionally invested in them. One a car goin full speed towards a cliff, the other - a creepy-crawler that lives in her own version of reality.
I could abalyse them both which goes to say that I feel that it was quite a belivable portrayal if the characters. People felt real, the discussion about true crime media is to be had, the backdrop of running a chain bookstore is interesting. I can see that the author worked in Waterstones for a while haha
Would recommend
It was a dark read that still felt emotionally grounded in the reality. Both women are kinda fucked up in their own ways. Laura - self destructive in her grief and loneliness, drawning her pain in alcohol. It did really feel like an interesting portrayal of what trauma can do to a person. Roach - truly a creep with obsessive interest in Laura. Justyfing everything she does in her mind, bot being abke to comprehend emotional states of other people.
Both of them flawed but also with things that make the reader emotionally invested in them. One a car goin full speed towards a cliff, the other - a creepy-crawler that lives in her own version of reality.
I could abalyse them both which goes to say that I feel that it was quite a belivable portrayal if the characters. People felt real, the discussion about true crime media is to be had, the backdrop of running a chain bookstore is interesting. I can see that the author worked in Waterstones for a while haha
Would recommend
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Vomit
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Gore, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Stalking, Blood, Body horror, and Murder
thebookcident's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
I don't often read crime/ thrillers, but I really enjoyed this one. The switching POV helped give me a needed break from each character and added to the tension. I think Slater had done a great job of creating two distinct voices for each character, that each leaves the reader feeling a certain way. Both of the protagonists are heavily flawed and I would say unlikeable, which I quite liked. I don't need to like a character to want to read them.
I found lots of visually evoking imagery was used that rinsed my pallet from the darker themes in this novel.
Also, Slater really captures the feeling of being a retail working over the Xmas period PERFECTLY. 😅
Would recommend as a summer read.
I found lots of visually evoking imagery was used that rinsed my pallet from the darker themes in this novel.
Also, Slater really captures the feeling of being a retail working over the Xmas period PERFECTLY. 😅
Would recommend as a summer read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Blood, Death, Grief, Rape, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
scarlettreadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
medium-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Stalking, Alcohol, Violence, Alcoholism, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
Minor: Animal death
sillybillybooklover's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.0
Dark and gripping, this novel took me on a psychological journey that left my skin crawling. While the initial chapters were a bit slow to captivate me, once the narrative sunk its claws into me, I was hooked. This isn't your typical cosy mystery; it delves into the eerie and unsettling without resorting to gratuitous gore.
The alternating narration between Roach and Laura added a unique layer to the storytelling. It allowed me to delve into the minds of both characters, enhancing the overall experience. I opted for the audiobook, and the voices felt so authentic that it added an immersive quality to the narrative. It's a tale that lingers, haunting the mind long after the final chapter. If you're into psychological twists and turns, this one's a must-read (or listen).
The alternating narration between Roach and Laura added a unique layer to the storytelling. It allowed me to delve into the minds of both characters, enhancing the overall experience. I opted for the audiobook, and the voices felt so authentic that it added an immersive quality to the narrative. It's a tale that lingers, haunting the mind long after the final chapter. If you're into psychological twists and turns, this one's a must-read (or listen).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Vomit
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Blood, Gore, Vomit, Stalking, Violence, and Toxic friendship