Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Ruins by Scott Smith

6 reviews

duke_elligos's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

It's hard to put this book down, it draws you in and doesn't let go.
It is raw and brutal, even though it's not overly grotesque, if you're used to the genre. The characters are far from perfect, they make mistake after mistake, and yet it feels like things anyone could do.
Also, if you've watched the movie, don't worry, it's nothing like it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicide, Abandonment, Death, Body horror, and Vomit

Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content

Minor: Cannibalism

hails_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Self harm, Medical trauma, Vomit, Medical content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Body horror, Suicide, Death, Alcohol, and Abandonment

rissasreading's review

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

3.7 - This was definitely exactly what I expected but also exactly what I didn't expect. I really enjoyed this one and every page was a different experience. I also found the characters easy to get into and enjoy reading. I also got so invested in this I was feeling so angry at Any for drinking the water, it was such an enjoyable reading experience. Even with what Eric went through.... My chest hurts thinking about it.

The ending was exactly what I expected unfortunately but it still had great twists and I didn't really know how it was going to end but I was so engrossed in the story I needed to know and it kept me reading.

Would recommend!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Blood, Murder, Racism, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Cursing and Alcohol

Minor: Abandonment

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Horror Summer Camp Book Club / June Pick

The Details:
Narrated by Patrick Wilson
Unabridged 

I really wanted to take part in this group read so for the first time, I purchased more credits!

This was a fun read. Once we got into the meat of the horror, it had me in mind of the Day of the Triffids. I think I'd be interested in reading more plant based horror.

The body horror was quite grim (in a good way), but I didn't find that it made my stomach turn or had me feeling nauseated.

There were no distinct chapters, which made it hard to pause but helped to amplify the blurred lines of time as terror set in for the characters.

The characters themselves weren't very likeable but felt believable for the most part, though some feeling more 2D (or more caricatures of a person) than others. I think my favourites were Matthias and Pablo.

I don't think this will be a strong story that would be very memorable long term, for me, but it was fun for whilst I was listening, I'd recommend it to others and I'd be interested in giving the movie adaptation a go.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Torture, Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Gore, Gaslighting, Excrement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Confinement, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Suicide, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Grief, Cannibalism, Body horror, and Abandonment

Minor: Cannibalism

elisweets's review

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.75

I personally loved this book. It was one of my favorite horror film when I was a kid and I never knew it was a book until I stumbled upon it in a Savers!! So I was so excited to read. 
I felt like it was slow in the beginning, especially coming from watching it as a quicker film, but it was so interesting really learning about the characters traits in more detail and hear them explain these horrific experiences their going through. The characters are… interesting, but I thought were written well for their rolls. Like the way the all handle this situation is super interesting and sometimes sad.

Overall I think it’s a great read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Gore, Self harm, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Cannibalism, Child death, and Excrement

gracethezombie's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.5

body horror to the max. the descriptions in this book made my stomach turn. the characters (in particular Jeff) were hard to read about and empathize with but i appreciate the slower pace this book chooses to take in relation to other horror novels. overall it was an interesting read and i finished the last 200 pages in like 4 hours because i was just hooked. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Abandonment, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, and Blood

I wish i could tag body horror as a content warning like 7 times