Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

80 reviews

danimacuk's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Medical content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, and Classism

devemaya's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, and Physical abuse

orangewitchling's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book was short, but packed a punch. I really enjoyed it! It’s all about the sisters relationship and family trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Blood, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Murder

erinkellyreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

 A tense, quick thriller that will have you frustrated and engaged from page one. I loved that it was told in short vignettes; it kept the pacing up as well as gave you nuggets of information one at a time. I was frustrated by the characters, but it also all made sense. Definitely a must read! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Police brutality, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Adult/minor relationship

gerikrempa1's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

Disturbing. 
Audio book was ok a little hard to understand sometimes as narrator read in native slang language 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Cultural appropriation, Death, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Disturbing premises

ninahuynh's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.75

So many characters in this book annoyed me. Points to Braithwaite for creating such full characters that are able to invoke such annoyance in me haha A page-turner, to say the least! And that ending 🙊🙈

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Murder

juan_adhd_reading's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book a lot! Such a quick read, and the chapters were so very short, but still managed to convey a compelling story. This story is in part a mystery-thriller, but more so is a story about family and relationships.

This story shows just how un breakable the bond between sisters is, and the length they will go to protect each other.

I don’t know how to talk about the characters in a way that won’t make the story off putting, because the reality is that there are no good characters here. Ayoola is a serial killer, after all, and Korede enables her. I think a lot could be said about how their father’s abuse plays into how they came to be like this, and especially why Korede goes to such great lengths to protect Ayoola. I did feel bad for Korede all throughout the book, because I really felt how trapped she is in this toxic relationship; how her bond with her sister might be too strong for her own good. 

Dr. Tade might have been just another sympathetic victim of Ayoola, but in my opinion he was kind of an ass. (Long rant incoming.)

Setting aside the fact that he never appreciated all that Korede did for him, and that he fell for Ayoola just because she’s pretty, he also blamed Korede for anything that Ayoola did. “Ayoola cheated on me because you’re not a good sister”, “Ayoola only seeks other men because you don’t love her enough”, “Ayoola would never hurt anyone! Why do you always villainize her!”, “You’re just jealous of Ayoola because you don’t have a man to love”… Korede told him very clearly that Ayoola would hurt him, she did all she could to warn him and make him break up the engagement (even if Ayoola wasn’t a killer, she knows she didn’t love him and wouldn’t want to marry him). But he just ignored his many years of friendship with Korede to still be with Ayoola, and he got what he got. Did he deserve all that? Probably not, but he had the chance to think and still chose to be horny instead 🫤.

Anyway, despite all that I really enjoyed reading this book, and would definitely recommend it. Especially if you’re in a reading slump.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Police brutality

gwenswoons's review

dark sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Murder, Police brutality, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, and Medical content

leligavi's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

1.0

Wow ..I really didn't like this book. I thought it was going to be about

a sister no longer going with the delusions and disgusting actions of a younger, spoiled sister and that just didn't happen. I was truly rooting for the happiness and liberation of the main character but she didn't get it, but was FINE with it. 

I think while I am rating this book super low, I do acknowledge that the book made me feel how I'm guess the author intended. So kudos to them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Murder, and Toxic relationship

tiddlerrr's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective fast-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

4.25

Very interesting, and an incredible depiction of how complicated familial (particularly sisterly) relationships can be. The narrator is simultaneously fiercely protective and adores her younger sister but seems to hold a lot of contempt and resentment for her and struggles with holding both of those things within herself. I also loved Korede’s friendship with Muhtar!

Not the sort of book I expected it to be when I first picked it up but I was pleasantly surprised by it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, Sexism, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Toxic friendship