Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

21 reviews

thecozyrogue's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Child death and Stalking

Minor: Child abuse and Pregnancy

cinderrunner's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

It was slow moving for me at the start. But once i got about halfway through, it picked up substantially and i zipped through the remainder of the book. Very gothic and atmospheric. The overall mood, especially at the Bridge gives very much Wuthering Heights vibes. Concept is fun and fairly orignal. Very haunting. A little gory without being overly grotesque. Saw the end reveal coming but getting there was fun so i didnt mind. Check trigger warnings for this one cause there are a lot. I will never be okay with a modern book using slurs and stereotypes against Romani people regardless of when the book is set. The plot could have been just as successful without that nonsense so shame to the author for that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide attempt, Racism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gore, Xenophobia, Suicide, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Violence, Miscarriage, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Confinement

heather_freshparchment's review

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Grief, Gaslighting, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Child abuse, Murder, Vomit, and Self harm

lizzyrai's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Child abuse, Gore, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Medical content, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

kimmychii5's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, Child death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Sexism

ivy123's review

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

4.0

This book would make a great horror movie if produced. Had some classic gothic tropes that I love and gave me that creepy feeling in the pit of my stomach that makes u run to ur bedroom when it's dark. The companions were the most creepy of all as you can just see them waiting for you in the shadows. 

I enjoyed how no one in this novel is perfect they all have their flaws which I think makes them feel even more human. The creepy mansion and superstitions were all the things I love in a gothic novel. The multiple storylines were interesting and tied together nicely as well.

Unfortunately I seem to be falling into this trap allot recently where I love the novel but hate the ending. This maybe due to my penchant for a good ending I hate ambiguous or unhappy ones which is a personal preference so if you do not mind that this will not bother you. I also felt like there was more needed in the ending after the shock revelation to be completely satisfied. I turned last page and was like is that it. 

Overall still a good story and would recommend as long as u dont require a happy ending to be satisfied

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide attempt

voilajean's review

dark mysterious sad tense

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Violence, Gaslighting, and Grief

ggcd1981's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

Rating: 4.50 estrelas 

TRIGER WARNING: Death, Miscarriage, Death of Parent, Fire Injuries, Suicide, Murder, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Mental Illness, Racism, Ableism, Animal Death, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Drug use 

No meu retorno a leitura acabei descobrindo que gosto bastante de Terror e Mistério Gótico. Desde sempre tive essa impressão pois sempre apreciei filmes que eram parte do gênero, e gostei bastante de “Os inocentes” quando o li em minha adolescência. Mas foi a partir do meu retorno a leitura no ano de Nosso Senhor de 2020 que realmente se tornou claro pra mim que Terror/Mistério Gótico é um dos meus subgêneros de ficção preferidos. The Silent Companions é uma entrada recente desse subgênero. Apesar de recente a autora, Laura Purcell, criou uma atmosfera Gótica da época Vitoriana bastante intrigante, com todos os dias cinzas, casas assombradas, ambientação de época que um Terror gótico tem direito. Eu gostei bastante da atmosfera e dos personagens. Elsie, Sarah. Jolyon foram personagens que gostei de seguir e até mesmo a irritante Mabel, acredito ter sido essa a intenção da autora. Elsie foi uma protagonista forte. Ela encarou situações que eu nunca suportaria (andar a noite sozinha na casa sabendo que “os companheiros” estavam em todo lugar é um grande “NÃO” para mim) e mostrou coragem sempre que necessário, todo o tempo demonstrando que lutava contra o medo que sentia. 

Devo admitir que minhas habilidades de compreensão de texto não deviam estar 100%, pois ao checar no Goodreads perguntas sobre a obra vi que um leitor perguntou se Jolyon era filho de Elsie que havia sido abusada por seu pai. A autora respondeu que sim ao leitor. Fiquei bege. O abuso sexual por parte do pai passou pela minha cabeça, mas em nenhum momento desconfiei que o apego de Elsie por Jolyon era porque este era seu filho e não irmão. Isso torna os acontecimentos do final ainda mais significantes. 

Algo que não gostei na história foi que na seção em que foi contado como a família Bainbridge do falecido marido de Elsie, Rupert, adquiriu os Silent companions no ano de 1635, após o trágico sacrifício do cavalo do rei e desonra da família Bainbridge, Anne Bainbridge tentou devolver os companheiros a loja em que havia comprado, só que, surpresa, surpresa, todo o prédio e a loja haviam desaparecido. Isso foi desnecessariamente cliché. A autora poderia ter, por exemplo, feito o prédio estar lá, porém vazio de forma a implantar a dúvida se o vendedor era humano ou não. Da forma como foi feita parece cliché e ao mesmo tempo desconectado de todos os outros elementos da história. Porque uma loja fantasma apareceria ali, naquele momento, ao mesmo tempo que Hetta, filha de Anne, já era um elemento sobrenatural na casa dos Bainbridge? A autora poderia ter construído uma relação entre a loja e Hetta para não parecer tão desconectado, aleatório e coincidente. 

Outra ressalva que tenho sobre o livro, mas esta porque sou sensível a crueldade contra animais, foram as mortes do cavalo e da vaca, as quais foram cruéis. Mas tenho que admitir que houve proposito para as mortes e estas não foram descritas de forma gráfica. 

Gostei bastante do desenvolvimento da amizade entre Elsie e Sarah. O relacionamento delas começou com antipatia por parte de Elsie e evoluiu para que as duas só conseguissem confiar uma na outra. Isso tornou o final, em que Hetta possuiu Sarah permanentemente, mais triste e amargo, pois eu realmente queria que elas continuassem juntas. E por fim o livro deixou um final aberto em que não sabemos se Elsie foi condenada a forca ou continuou presa no Hospício. Acredito, que apesar de aberto, o final foi adequado. 

Gostei do livro. Pelas questões mencionadas, particularmente o desaparecimento da loja, não posso dar 5 estrelas, mas acredito em um sólido 4.5 estrelas.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Grief, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gore, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, and Rape

arareads's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Pregnancy, Abortion, and Violence

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

bedtimesandbooks's review

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Child abuse, Violence, Suicide, Stalking, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Animal death, and Animal cruelty