Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Brother by Ania Ahlborn

19 reviews

anastasiabeth's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Extremely dark and twisted but what a gripping and entertaining read. SA trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Homophobia, Gore, Death, Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Incest, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Trafficking, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Rape

clamb21's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Violence, Sexual assault, Child death, Death, Incest, Physical abuse, Murder, Rape, and Body horror

sarah_mcmullan_nz's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

3.0

Dark & super disturbing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Murder, Pedophilia, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Death, Physical abuse, Gore, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Blood, Gaslighting, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Violence

aleen_elizabeth's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gore, Body shaming, Cancer, Incest, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Child death, Death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cannibalism, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Slavery, Vomit, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Sexual harassment, and Violence

kirahaycock21's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This book was heartbreaking. I didn’t like the ending, but mostly because it just didn’t wrap up nicely. It was also a little slow until the ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Body horror, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Violence, Child death, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, and Blood

Moderate: Kidnapping, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Torture, and Cannibalism

Minor: Torture, Abandonment, and Sexual violence

killmoore_'s review against another edition

dark sad tense 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

5.0

I am devastated that I'll never get to experience this book for the first time again. 

I went into Brother thinking that I had the big twist spoiled for me, and woo was I wrong. The characters are so well written that it made me physically uncomfortable at times - and the duel point of view is both disturbing and truly heart breaking. We have the birth of a serial killer on one side, explaining the world through his trauma and perception, then we have Michael and his battle against his own morality and the bonds of blood. Phenomenal writing, and an absolutely devastating story. I'm honestly glad that it didn't end with a pretty bow - it couldn't have ended in a better way.

While this is gruesome and pretty bloody at points, I would not consider it over the top or anywhere near splatterpunk territory. Check your trigger warnings and you should be fine. This is mainly a story of love and loss, and what it means to be family - kind of. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death of parent, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

magic_multicolored_miracle's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.25

A true horror novel.
Not for the faint of heart, this book is frighteningly realistic, with suspense and tension keeping you hovering on the edge of your seat the whole time. 

Probably the only reason I wouldn't call it 5 stars?

The absolutely infuriating and abrupt non-ending.</spoilers>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Abandonment, Blood, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gore, Murder, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Stalking, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail

shysheepys's review

dark emotional sad 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

4.25

A twist I didn't expect. This is scary, tense, depressing, and I couldn't put it down. I appreciate the shift of point-of-views to keep you on your toes as well as to break up the really stressful parts.

I feel so bad for Michael!! And Alice too!! I wanted nothing but the best for the two poor kids.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Cannibalism, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Body horror, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Incest, and Rape

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Abandonment

markc64's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This booked is F*****

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Vomit, Incest, Grief, Rape, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Violence, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Torture, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Murder, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Cursing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death of parent, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Gore, Mental illness, Death, Chronic illness, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, and Kidnapping

nicole_cob_reads's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Stalking, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Violence, Vomit, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Death, and Death of parent