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laurenarussell's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
alina_reads_books's review
5.0
Woah … this was dark. I am not okay…but i will be eventually. My heart ached for Finn. His character & the relationship that develops through the book with Lilith was so unique. The writing was beautiful, but some parts in the book were so horrifying. The only thing i really hoped for but didn’t get is that they escape this hell a bit faster in the book - at some point around 70-80% i really wished for a more lighter ending and more time in „real life“ with each other, healing. Still the impact this book had on me was so high, i couldn’t give less than 5 stars.
pamgodwin's review
5.0
Isolated on an frigid island, Albermarle Hall is a sanctum of depravity and the ideal setting for this shockingly cruel and intense story with superb writing. You'll find yourself shackled amidst the horrors of the enslaved man-boy, Finn, your sympathy for him holding you there, frozen in fear. You'll wonder how he was captured, how badly his next job will hurt him, and why his tormentor goes to such lengths to destroy him physically and emotionally.
TM is a master at revealing back stories, sometimes with sneaky subtleness, but always sadistic in nature. The tribulations reach the darkest, deepest places. Places you might not know exist.
The villains are inventive in their power to induce dread, rage, and paralyzing terror. The excessive rape and violence are graphic, beautifully disturbing, but in no way titillating. In fact, I would not label this erotic or romance, as those terms imply gratification and desire. Reading this stirred the same emotions in me as Jack Ketchum's horror novels. Sick curiosity.
The body of this tale is harrowing, allowing little light and warmth to leak in. The sexual cruelty takes horror in an unpredictable direction, using psychological brutality to develop a friendship between an unlikely pair.
From the slivers of blood-stained clothing and broken bones resurrects a courageous trust between the drug-addicted Finn and the guest-turned-prisoner painter, Lilith. This friendship is a fierce enough foundation to keep some of the chicken-hearted readers turning pages through the gory, topnotch tension.
This vicious, well-crafted psychological thriller might leave you scarred, but it's the soul-deep characterization of Finn and Lilith that makes this book wholly unforgettable.
TM is a master at revealing back stories, sometimes with sneaky subtleness, but always sadistic in nature. The tribulations reach the darkest, deepest places. Places you might not know exist.
The villains are inventive in their power to induce dread, rage, and paralyzing terror. The excessive rape and violence are graphic, beautifully disturbing, but in no way titillating. In fact, I would not label this erotic or romance, as those terms imply gratification and desire. Reading this stirred the same emotions in me as Jack Ketchum's horror novels. Sick curiosity.
The body of this tale is harrowing, allowing little light and warmth to leak in. The sexual cruelty takes horror in an unpredictable direction, using psychological brutality to develop a friendship between an unlikely pair.
From the slivers of blood-stained clothing and broken bones resurrects a courageous trust between the drug-addicted Finn and the guest-turned-prisoner painter, Lilith. This friendship is a fierce enough foundation to keep some of the chicken-hearted readers turning pages through the gory, topnotch tension.
This vicious, well-crafted psychological thriller might leave you scarred, but it's the soul-deep characterization of Finn and Lilith that makes this book wholly unforgettable.
leojole's review
5.0
Wow! So many emotions I can't even put into words - completely disturbing - loved Finn and Lili and have never hated someone as much as I do Blaine - an epilogue would have been nice.
kiki_reads24's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
stumpfed's review
5.0
DO NOT START READING THIS BOOK.....at 8pm like I did unless you want to just stay up until 2:45am, like I did! YIKES!!!!! I couldn't put it down. Between the suspense, twisted shit happening every 5 seconds and the awesome Brit Wit...you just can't stop. What a freaking trip this book is. I am really still quite speechless. I love when I can't tell the ending to a book and with the unexpected happening every few pages, there was so way I was going to attempt to figure this one out, so I just started reading and didn't stop! BRAVO!
lindseysv's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Tied Man was incredible. One of the few books I finished and felt like I could start it all over again right away. The characters were so well developed and I started loving them, literally, from the first page. Mind you, I did not swoon, this is not that kind of book. This is a book that tugs at your heart the whole time.
This is a dark read, certainly, but there was absolutely no way I was putting it down. I stopped just long enough to get some food for my family for dinner and then read it the rest of the night. I couldn't leave Lilith and Finn for much more than a minute and they haven't left my thoughts and my heart since I finished the book. I just want more. Luckily, the characters are so well developed, I feel like I can imagine some of what happens next!
While the themes in this book were dark, and I was expecting that after reading the synopsis, I was pleasantly surprised at how often I was chuckling to myself. The dialogue was wonderful and intense, but often it was also a fun banter between Lilith and Finn (or just a truly snarky comment from Lilith that made me laugh out loud). No matter how dark and hopeless things seemed, they were able to keep their wit. Lilith said a lot of things I wish I could say, but am only brave enough to think.
I think one of the things I loved the most about Lilith and Finn was their bravery and courage. While it seemed like they were just trapped, they were really trapped because of how deeply they cared for people besides themselves. Because of that, they endured more than I could ever imagine. In that way, it is a story of true love. Probably truer love than most of the romance books I've read.
An amazing first novel from this author. I beg her to write more!!
This is a dark read, certainly, but there was absolutely no way I was putting it down. I stopped just long enough to get some food for my family for dinner and then read it the rest of the night. I couldn't leave Lilith and Finn for much more than a minute and they haven't left my thoughts and my heart since I finished the book. I just want more. Luckily, the characters are so well developed, I feel like I can imagine some of what happens next!
While the themes in this book were dark, and I was expecting that after reading the synopsis, I was pleasantly surprised at how often I was chuckling to myself. The dialogue was wonderful and intense, but often it was also a fun banter between Lilith and Finn (or just a truly snarky comment from Lilith that made me laugh out loud). No matter how dark and hopeless things seemed, they were able to keep their wit. Lilith said a lot of things I wish I could say, but am only brave enough to think.
I think one of the things I loved the most about Lilith and Finn was their bravery and courage. While it seemed like they were just trapped, they were really trapped because of how deeply they cared for people besides themselves. Because of that, they endured more than I could ever imagine. In that way, it is a story of true love. Probably truer love than most of the romance books I've read.
An amazing first novel from this author. I beg her to write more!!
sammy234's review
3.0
This book started off amazing. The dialogue was so intelligent and I really felt the connection between Lilith and Finn. However, halfway through the story stopped being so character focused, which I prefer, and started to be more action oriented. That was when I started to feel a major disconnect from the characters. I don't mind action packed stories, as long as the characters are developing internally as well. But Lilith and Finn just stopped growing and so their romance stagnated and became uninteresting to me.
Also, the villains in this story were just two dimensional psychopaths and I was very disappointed in them. Blaine was supposed to be this awesome, complex female antagonist and she just wasn't. There was no attempt to dig deeper into her character and find out why she was so evil. She just moved the plot along and had no real presence.
I enjoyed reading this story, but I thought the end dragged on way too long and this book could probably have been about fifty pages shorter, and better for it. Lilith was the best character by far. I loved her Sherlock deductions and steady calm when conflict arose. Finn grew on me, but I appreciated him considerably less. He didn't have as much personality as Lilith did.
TW: Non-consent, physical abuse, and animal abuse (really wish I would have known about this going into it, that poor puppy)
(I also feel like I should mention that this book is not a dark romance, or dark erotica, really. It's more of a thriller)
Also, the villains in this story were just two dimensional psychopaths and I was very disappointed in them. Blaine was supposed to be this awesome, complex female antagonist and she just wasn't. There was no attempt to dig deeper into her character and find out why she was so evil. She just moved the plot along and had no real presence.
I enjoyed reading this story, but I thought the end dragged on way too long and this book could probably have been about fifty pages shorter, and better for it. Lilith was the best character by far. I loved her Sherlock deductions and steady calm when conflict arose. Finn grew on me, but I appreciated him considerably less. He didn't have as much personality as Lilith did.
TW: Non-consent, physical abuse, and animal abuse (really wish I would have known about this going into it, that poor puppy)
(I also feel like I should mention that this book is not a dark romance, or dark erotica, really. It's more of a thriller)