Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Mirrorland by Carole Johnstone

4 reviews

gellyreads's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I think the main things I enjoy about this book are the way that it examines abuse and how it affects people and how well spaced out
plot reveals are. This book has made me realize just how much I think I hate last minute twists in books that think they're clever, or make no sense, or just try to trick the reader. Although, you could argue that this book attempts to do that with the reveal that El is alive and that Mouse is their sister. I was really annoyed that the book FINALLY convinced me that El was dead when we got her ashes and we saw Cat's grief, so when she was revealed to be alive, I won't lie, my petty ass made me lower this from a 5 to a 4 star book.
I enjoy the way this handled dark topics and generational trauma. This book is not for the faint of heart or a light read, but if you're in the mood for it, I think it is worth the read.
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cinderrunner's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

This book and its concepts are admittedly a little complex. It is heavy on the psychological aspect of psychological thriller. A lot of negative reviews are complaining that the concept of Mirrorland is too involved, but I think that is exactly the point. The flashbacks and convoluted nature of Mirrorland go hand in hand with Cat's mental state. The story unfolds as Cat's memories do, the reality hits us as it does Cat. This is a truly interesting and complex look at trauma and the way it impacts every aspect of a person's life (even long after the specific traumatic events are over). The mystery aspect is very well done thanks to the confussion we get as a result of Cat. I got a grasp early on about what the elements of Mirrorland stood for, but I was never fully confident on their real life counterparts until it was revealed. Everytime I thought I knew how the plot would unfold, I never felt like I could trust my instincts. Even when I was right about one plot element, something else would get thrown into the loop that i didn't see coming. This isn't a straigh  forward, cut and dry mastery/thriller. You actually do have to think. That's not everyone's cup of tea and not everyone is willing to use the extra brain power it takes for a story like this. I feel awful for Mouse, she deserves justice more than Cat or El. 
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cphunter's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

My first 5 stars! I absolutely loved this book. It was so so well written (I only have one very minor criticism, which is that there is a French character whose mix of English and French was…unusual) and the twists were so well executed. 
The story drew me in with confusion and then there were so many well placed clues and reveals that I was enthralled. 

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keirahelena_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional 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

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