Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

51 reviews

rebeccafarren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Kidnapping, and Racism

lectricefeministe's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Incest, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Violence, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexism, Stalking, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship

cinderrunner's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Toxic friendship, Classism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Incest, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Violence, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Domestic abuse

sir_ren's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

So I heard this is an audiobook and therefore have none of my margin scribbles to reference for my review which is now going to be all over the place. Well, I rather liked the approach of the novel in terms of using supernatural elements, or maybe it is apt to say - its lack of explicit use. Having read another Bronte novel recently my mind naturally compared the two and I much prefer this one to Jane Eyre's obvious use of fantastical elements. I also preferred this book as a whole to Jane Eyre, I think.
This goes without saying but Wuthering Heights has a lot of Gothic and Romantic elements to it- the gloomy old House setting, the wild moors, the Byronic hero, emphasis on Nature, individual actions/feelings, and so on.
The tale is one of revenge and obsessive love driven by two primary emotions of fear and love.
I also imagine that the violence and certain incidents must have been rather shocking at the time of publication- a lot of it still is.
The characters are deeply flawed and almost universally unlikable (maybe with the exception of Hareton, Edgar Linton, and perhaps Isabella Linton). But being unlikable does not exclude the characters from being understood or pitied by the reader. They are rather engaging and spur the story forward. 
The novel unfolds as a story within a story and the narrators are unreliable. This leaves room for the reader to reflect and discuss with others doubtlessly varying interpretations and guesses. The story switches from the past to the present day. And keeping track of the characters due to the similar names is a Task at first. Some readers may require to note down the names or make a family tree/look one up online. That may help prevent readers from giving up on the book due to being confused or annoyed by this part.
And some of the lines in this book- especially the dialogue when Catherine or Heathcliff speak of each other- insane and raw. They are popular and sound striking. I might have expected a great deal more time or words spent describing the moorland but I am satisfied with what was included even if I didn't find the descriptions particularly stunning or memorable.
 

The way Catherine haunts Heathcliff and brings him anguish from love and at times fear- that was interesting. I mean he did tell her she ought to. I do not think of their relationship as The romance. I don't think of this book as a Love Story either. It is more of a revenge narrative, with morality and class being impactful factors in the tale. The two's obsessive love for each other is almost merely a way for the story to portray the calculating, horrid revenge exacted by H and how it alters the fate of the 2 families. But the hope of breaking generational patterns and repeating mistakes is affirmed by the ending on a much-needed positive note for the book to end on.

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

headachesince03's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Moderate: Eating disorder and Religious bigotry

jessthanthree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Racism, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Grief, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

s1etal's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child death and Alcoholism

katievh's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Confinement, and Death

Minor: Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry

melhevingham98's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Sexism, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Death, and Toxic relationship

filipa_maia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

 (Please, read this review while listening to THE song... you know what song I'm talking about!)

This book is so dark, depressive and everyone is so mean and pretentious! This twisted love story that curses other love stories... what a weird fairytale! I love Nelly! She is an adorable lady, but my favorite character is Hareton. This poor child! That's why I like this book so much. In the end everything turn out a-ok for him!

This is, by far, my favorite classic book! What distinguishes Emily Brontë from other classical authors is the fact that her books are more than rich people visiting other rich people's house... I understand that, at that time, there was nothing more interesting to do, but come on, get an occupation!

"Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy
I've come home, I'm so coOoOOOOld"

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Kidnapping, Abandonment, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, and Alcoholism