Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Likeness by Tana French

7 reviews

poetsofsweetpea's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

5.0

The likeness, while on its face is mostly implausble, was a clever and fascinating mystery.  I adore Detective Cassie Maddox and was glad to spend more time with her.  I was enamored with In the Woods and I honestly thought there was no way I would enjoy this book as much. I was wrong, and now I"m obsessed with these novels and I can't wait to dive into the next one.  Each character is developed so earnestly and then elegantly decostructed. By the end of the novel the reader knows that character so well they would recognize them in the dark.  Really brilliant, interesting and unique.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Death, Murder, and Suicide

hdunscombe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical content, Child death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Stalking

mykenzi's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pregnancy and Toxic friendship

Minor: Stalking, Miscarriage, and Medical content

edatta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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

2.0

I've read a good bit of Tana French, largely out of order, and this was definitely the slowest and most cerebral of the ones I've encountered. The plot plods along, only picking up any real pace about two-thirds through the whole story. And while French's novels are always very protagonist-focused, it was disappointing to see so much of the book focus on Cassie's introspection. We spend so much time around four other characters but never get beyond some surface-level description and some throw-away dialogue. <spolier> The ending was a bit disappointing too. The people you suspect did it are in fact the ones that did it all along. No grand twist, no huge reveal, no big moment of shock. It didn't come as a surprise as much as a slow realization, like waking up out of a dream.  </spolier> The quality of the writing carried the story. But I don't think I would've finished this book if it wasn't such a fan of French's oeuvre. If you're looking for a tightly-paced detective story, try Broken Harbor instead. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Suicide

Minor: Homophobia

bootsmom3's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Violence, Death, Gun violence, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Gore, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Suicide, and Sexual content

nixicat1's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, Car accident, Colonisation, Violence, Suicide, and Stalking

_bellakoepp_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

If you like a slow burn mystery, this is the book for you. Satisfying ending, good characters.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Abandonment, Murder, Violence, Miscarriage, Gun violence, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Homophobia and Miscarriage

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders