Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

35 reviews

jacs63's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

While I enjoyed this easy to read, page-turner, I'm not a fan of books the run on a 3 chapter turn-over. 
There's one chapter about the going's on in the 80's and 90's in Chelsea; then an up to date chapter about some members of the family, and then one about a very innocent member of the plot. 
I find it hard sometimes to keep the interest going when there is a 2 chapter gap before the story continues again. I find it annoying. 
Its a fairly gruesome story at times, but its quite predictable. 
It's a good book and worth 4 stars, but so over-hyped by the publishers etc. Saying that, I will read the sequel, only because I want to find out about Phin. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Abandonment, Cursing, Rape, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Violence

tristinrose's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Abortion, Vomit, Blood, Drug use, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

amaruuk's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

4.75

read this in one sitting this was INSANE i literally had my mouth open the entire time....as much as it pains me to say i think i AM a henry apologist but i think that just proves how insane and well-written this book is, that by the end of it you are completely empathetic and everything feels justified. i pride myself in being able to predict endings and twists but i did not see a single thing coming in this entire book, but it all still felt completely coherent and plausible. this was so good. this was insane. i need to lie down.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content

Minor: Animal death, Death, and Blood

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.75

I had quite a good time with this book, and I kept picking it up to find out more of the story as it unfolded. I'll definitely look at this author again. I appreciated the unease of the book and not being sure if the narrators are reliable. Trauma all over the place.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Rape, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Chronic illness, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal cruelty and Blood

monique1316's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Violence, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape, Death, Suicide, Pregnancy, Infertility, Death of parent, Animal death, and Blood

bookmark3brodi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Miscarriage, Car accident, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Kidnapping, Blood, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Bullying, and Pedophilia

peeshpish's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

It was a slow start but once it picks up, it moves fast. The story flows well once the three POVs become more closely intertwined & the connections are more clear. There are many twists & turns along the way, & the story continues to develop until the very last sentence. Libby’s POV is an often needed relief from the heaviness of the other two, much less tense but still moves the story forward. Many characters felt flat or aligned with stereotypes that I’d expect more from a book written earlier than one written in 2019, but I still ended up reading most of the book in one sitting so I was definitely invested.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Murder, Grief, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Abandonment, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

Minor: Suicide, Homophobia, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Infertility, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Blood, and Pedophilia

Lucy’s chapters are heavy with

sexual assault & domestic violence. She is raped & murders her attacker. If it helps to know, she is not punished for killing him.

The chapters set in the past (labelled “Chelsea, [year]”) contain a lot lf

child abuse, domestic violence, & are where most of the content warnings come into play.

Libby’s chapters are generally safe for content, mostly vague details about the fate & story of the people who lived in the house she inherits.

amyparsons's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

Was not suspenseful like a thriller, but I enjoyed the twists and turns. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Pedophilia, Drug use, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse

Cult depictions

amgarrido's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Drug use, and Confinement

Moderate: Suicide, Sexual content, Blood, Sexual assault, Infertility, and Infidelity

isotope_s's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy, Murder, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Confinement

Minor: Violence, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Abandonment