Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

9 reviews

ashsupahfire's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

It took me some time to finish the first 40% of the book. Same with most thrillers, it’s a slow start where we set the scene. I finished the rest of the book in one sitting. 

I also would not call this a thriller as there was no stakes, just a mystery in an old house. 

If they would have keep the mystery of the lurking person in the house going on longer, or connected the ex husband to the mystery, or expanded on the being locked in Henry’s room thing longer, maybe

All of the subplots felt forced but the narrator of the 1990s cult section is what we really kept me sprung on this book as a habitual DNF’er. The present day storyline does get its big twist but I will still say the cult storyline is where I intensively read. 

Would have been nice if they expanded more on the two siblings clearly having the murder gene. Sure both were accidentally but neither felt phased by it. Or maybe that was an oversight of the author or not having them display any empathy for their dead parents. In a way I can see how all 3 deserved to die but both went immediately into clean up and escape mode. Clemency seems to be the only one traumatized.

I could read a second book where they learn more about the children of the cult 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Stalking

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Animal death and Vomit

kimveach's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

Dark and disturbing but a good thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Pedophilia, Confinement, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Rape, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Murder, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

denlia's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Vomit

vikiskiwis's review

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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Torture, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia

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

kaitlyns22's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Violence, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Vomit, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

sophieamreacher's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

Brilliant, read it all in one day. Ending disappointed me a little and lost the creepy feeling I had the whole way through. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Animal death, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Vomit and Homophobia

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.

travelthrupages's review against another edition

dark 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, and Confinement

Moderate: Blood, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Vomit

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, and Rape