Reviews tagging 'Grief'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

30 reviews

jelenwalker'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Dementia, Grief, Terminal illness, and Emotional abuse

hannahpings's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content and Grief

shieldbearer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Another book read because it was a favorite of Suzanne Collins', I did not know what to expect going into this and I really enjoyed it. A deeply layered text with so much complexity, its ambiguity is also its brilliance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Classism, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Alcohol, and Child abuse

solenekeleroux's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Dementia

echosong's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Dementia, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Bullying

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark hopeful 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? Yes

3.0

this was such an interesting book that is so hard to describe to others. it is a cozy gothic horror that was good but left a little to be desired. it would be such a good book club pick to discuss with a group

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Dysphoria, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Mental illness, and Murder

addyruth17's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Mental illness and Death

Minor: Grief, Murder, and Terminal illness

oftheolivetree's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

5.0

We Have Always Lived in the Castle is an incredibly dark and compelling story as told by the survivors of a mass murder. Both ethereal and grim, the story discusses the concepts of othering and dehumanization, and begs the question of who the true villain is:

Merricat, Charles, the Village, or all 3

? Delightfully pervasive and gothic, I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Classism, Dementia, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Violence, and Child death

Minor: Sexism

Shirley Jackson faced a lot of anti-semitism and othering while living in Bennington, Vermont, where this story takes place. Jackson prompts the discussion of the othering and dehumanization that marginalized communities experience as imposed by society.

angel_kiiss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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

An incredibly moving story about sisterhood and the things we do for family. Possibly hots a little too close to home if you’re the older sibling, and especially hard if you’re the older sister. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Grief

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

saintyeehaw's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

Sad and haunting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, and Toxic relationship