Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

54 reviews

crypticspren's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

4* because I use the CAWPILE rating system. 

This book was honestly a complete rollercoaster for me. The book is split up into 3 sections. The first POV is Amber. Throughout this section I was very iffy on how I should feel. It wasn't morally grey... It was straight up morally awful and I felt a little uncomfortable at points. She is essentially a sociopath and con artist, intent on stealing a woman’s husband and doesn’t care who she hurts in order to do so. 

The second section is from Daphne's POV. This took me totally by surprise and gave the story an entirely new outlook. This section is also the one worthy of the trigger warnings. I have a personal history with this kind of stuff and the weight management element (if you've read it, you know exactly which bit I mean) absolutely floored me at once point... However, I think it got the balance between "trauma dumping" and "empowering story of survival" just right.

The third POV is a narrator that covers both. It is by far the most satisfying section of the book and the ending was really enjoyable for me for the most part. The way in which daphne played 2 sociopaths against each other and used their greatest weakness (their ego) to escape was nothing short of genius. The only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was how Amber “got what she deserved”. As someone who lived in an abusive relationship, I would go through it again to get to where I am now but I wouldn’t wish it on anyone - not even an enemy.

It is definitely a book I don’t regret reading, but I couldn't recommend it to anyone without a significant warning for its contents.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Rape

camillejslibrary's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

alaina's review against another edition

dark tense 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

2.5

This book suffered from gratuitous psychopathy. I almost checked out at the halfway mark and then again at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

sldibened's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Outing, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Abortion, Chronic illness, Dysphoria, Grief, Bullying, Child death, Infidelity, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, Rape, and Stalking

inirac's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Got on the list because it has some good twists and turns, which it did! Not the biggest fan of the plot (I hate when women are pitted against each other- it’s old), and the ending feels satisfying but completely unrealistic. But this doesn’t have to be fully realistic I guess. My jaw definitely dropped a few times which is what I was looking for!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Infidelity

Moderate: Abortion, Suicide, Violence, Alcoholism, Stalking, and Classism

Minor: Infertility and Pregnancy

megs_readstoomuch's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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: Gun violence, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Cursing, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Classism, Death of parent, and Fatphobia

Minor: Sexual assault, Alcohol, Confinement, Abortion, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Violence, and Mental illness

camila_motta's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Rape, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Infidelity, Gun violence, Violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness

daniellenelson's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Bullying, Violence, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Death, Chronic illness, Body shaming, Gun violence, Death of parent, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Terminal illness, Grief, and Gaslighting

leahhateshardbacks's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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? Yes

3.0

At about the halfway point I was like....😦😦😦 whhhhaaaaatttttt!!!??? I actually liked the first half more, when Amber was inserting herself into Daphne's life and plotting away slowly. The real drama unfurls from the halfway point onwards, and while I was quite shocked and enjoyed the plot, it sometimes read quite cliche and over the top. And then things got dark very quickly. It wasn't totally unique and unpredictable like I was hoping for but enjoyable nonetheless. I actually read this as an audiobook in one day🫣 so let that be evidence that this is pretty addictive. There was a miniscule scene that left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth (I mean despite the whole list of trigger warnings lmao this is to do with the writing) -

Daphne doesn't believe in abortion and is all like "god will give me whatever gender baby he wants/he knows what's right, etc." (and also being pro-abortion and pro-choice does not mean forcing someone to have an abortion and I feel like this was not made very clear in here, but this was pre- overturning of Roe v Wade so probably wasn't as  topical and clarity wasn't as critical at the point of writing/publication) and then there's another bit later on that sort of equated religion with morality and that was a no for me.

Overall a good thrilling domestic drama read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abortion, Rape, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Gun violence

kelsieann27's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence