Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Resting Place by Camilla Sten

11 reviews

zenzi2read's review against another edition

mysterious sad slow-paced

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

2.75

If there were a Bechtel test for how long it took two characters to speak about the grandmother in this book almost every conversation would fail. Character development is fullest for the grandmother, and very shallow for everyone else.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Child abuse

ktb97's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This author is a master of creating sudden creepy scenes that make you shudder. This book was a bit too slow paced for me, but still definitely worth reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Miscarriage, Car accident, Child abuse, and Pregnancy

zosiablue's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I've read a few books now featuring a protagonist with face blindness & it's such a hard device to pull off. I'm not sure this one does, or if the device is even necessary. This is a family drama that takes place over 60 years in the same creepy Scandinavian house. Very atmospheric but the main mystery isn't compelling enough for the action or long dialogue. And the ending is sort of out of nowhere. This is the second book I've read by Sten with a cool premise that doesn't deliver. I'll keep trying, though! She has great ideas. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, and Murder

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Blood, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

readingwithtrey's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Y’all! I am SHOOK. I know this one has mixed reviews, but it’s one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. It’s a slow build but the chapters are short so it’s easily binged. The writing was done so well that over the course of the book the dread, anxiety, and fear really build. Y’all… it was super creepy. I couldn’t bring myself to read this too close to bedtime😅. But at the same time I didn’t want to put the book down because I HAD to know how it ended. I just knew the ended was going to be IT.

Now here’s where it lost a star for me. While the ending is a good, solid one, I didn’t have that lingering spooky feeling that I look for with a good thriller.

Overall, this was a good one and I definitely recommend it for spooky season 👻. Also, if you enjoyed Rock, Paper, Scissors by Alice Feeney, definitely check this one out!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Gun violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicide

Minor: Pregnancy, Car accident, and Chronic illness

paulrichard's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Xenophobia

paronomaniac's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.75

Overall, this is a decent psychological mystery but I found the first half of the book dragged. The second half really picked up but I’m still not sure if the payoff is worth a drawn-out beginning. 

There is also the possibility that some tension or atmosphere was lost when the book was translated to English. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infertility, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Bullying, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicide and Murder

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Gun violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Death, Murder, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse, Classism, and Infertility

Minor: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, and Cancer

tamara_joy's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gun violence

Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Infertility, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

amandasbookreview's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

 

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Camilla Sten for the opportunity to read this book! It was released on March 29th, 2022.

“We perceive women suffering from mental illness with a sort of paradoxical double-sidedness; both victims and monsters. simultaneously infantilized and feared.”

THE RESTING PLACE

I absolutely enjoyed Camilla Sten’s previous novel, The Invited, and could not wait to pick up The Resting Place. Eleanor has prosopagnosia which is also called facial blindness. So it would be difficult for her to identify her grandmother’s murderer. She and her grandmother, Vivianne had a strained relationship. Viviane wasn’t the most maternal. But after a phone call from the lawyer: Eleanor, her boyfriend Sebastian, her aunt Veronika, and the lawyer all head to the family estate called Solhoga. Once they get there, family secrets become exposed and then the attacks begin…

I absolutely love Camilla Sten’s writing. She really nails the eerie atmospheric tension. Her story building is very slow-burn and I can understand how some people may not appreciate it. But just stay the course, because each reveal throughout the book really packs a punch. There is a lot happening in this book though. Trigger warnings: murder, child abuse, gaslighting, miscarriage, mental illness, suicide.

The book does jump back and forth between the present and 1965. There are 4 names that start with “V” and it did take a while to get used to and put all the pieces together. At every plot twist, the lies come to light and readers will be working to piece everything together. By the end of the novel, I knew who the perpetrator was. I was a little disappointed with the ending but I actually loved everything leading up to it. It was very creepy and I often wondered if we were dealing with something more paranormal rather than a long-lost family secret. –And that is how a good author keeps readers on their toes.

The characters are complex and have their faults. There are a few characters…like Vivianne who are completely toxic and I did not quite understand the hold she had on those around her. BUT, it made sense in the end. Overall, I will always read Camilla Sten’s works, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, and Death of parent