Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

22 reviews

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

sandysmith's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

It was an easy read for me, and I devoured this book very quickly. Told from 3 seemingly unconnected points of view, which gradually their connection is revealed. It's essentially about 4 children living in a sort of cult and a baby. The adults were really unlikeable either through weakness or just horribly dark. The four children include an abandoned baby inheriting a valuable house in London, Libby (serenity), Phin, Clemence, Henry, and Lucy. All the characters are brilliantly written, giving the reader a ride of emotions. This book should come with trigger warnings as it could be triggering for some. It's a very dark, twisty, engrossing read of betrayal, redemption, and brutal family dynamics. What's not to love? Fab stuff

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Abandonment

ajay913's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Death of parent, Child abuse, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Miscarriage, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, and Homophobia

leeartscot's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, Animal death, Death, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

maxine_t96's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Colonisation, Murder, Child abuse, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Sexual assault, Death, and Bullying

Moderate: Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Drug use

themoodreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Chronic illness

fullybookedwithdanielle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Rape and Toxic friendship

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

butilikeit's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Death of parent, Rape, Murder, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Mental illness, Animal death, Miscarriage, Drug use, and Alcohol

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