Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

8 reviews

frankensteinscreature's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

1.5

I have rather conflicting feelings about this book, I picked it up as a blind date with a book and it’s not something I would usually gravitate towards. I think the writing style was objectively bad but it did draw me in (I suppose that is what thrillers are supposed to do). It could have been good if not for the horrendously stereotypical and frankly homophobic depictions of the one queer character clearly written by a straight woman that does not like gay men. The sort of predatory relationship that she wanted for the story did not need to manifest itself in such a homophobic way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Murder, Domestic abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Abortion, Confinement, and Adult/minor relationship

loonysaurus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Abandonment, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Deportation, Abortion, Gore, Homophobia, and Infertility

erinicole's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Pedophilia

Minor: Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, Suicide, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

antireading's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.0

I saw most of the twists coming but there was one in particular that got me good.

I enjoyed the cult aspects and the storytelling style

but I do not understand the narrative device of

Henry's narration. He is writing to Libby yet he is mentions the lies he told her at the end. And I couldn't tell if it was a journal or what the framing of it was.

I was enjoying it up until around 80ish% when we find out

Henry has been lying about most things.

While I figured that was the case, I didn't like the extent to what it was,

and hate the fact that the villain is a predatory gay man. That is an overdone and harmful trope and the fact that Henry assaults and harasses Phin and how that is the source of the conflict is gross.

It's a shame because before that, I would have rated it MUCH higher. After reading the description of the next book, I don't think I will continue with the sequel. I don't really care for that mystery to be solved knowing who did it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pregnancy, Abortion, Blood, and Miscarriage

norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Drug use, Physical abuse, Body horror, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Cancer, Cursing, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Homophobia, Infidelity, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Torture, and Toxic relationship

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

chuffman's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Medical trauma, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Murder

kelseyr713's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

Loved this twisty thriller. Not many loose threads left at the end, but enough for a final twist of the knife. I made a few predictions while reading and none of them were correct! I would be curious about a sequel, I think there’s certainly enough here for one.

Reread in 2022 before reading the sequel, yay!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Murder, Drug use, Stalking, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Blood, and Physical abuse

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Homophobia