Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

20 reviews

river_severn's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Animal death, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

stephanieluxton's review against another edition

dark sad 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

3.5

This book really isn't what I thought it'd be. I didn't find it scary but I did find it reasonably stressful. It's essentially about a man who becomes haunted by a ghost and sets out to uncover the truth about the haunting and find a way to free himself of it. There's some really excellent character development and I do like the story unfolded in a way I didn't expect. The story had a medium pace. I think it would have been better if it was either a fast paced thriller or if it was more of a slow burn horror that built a sense of dread. The second half of the book is better than the first!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Mental illness, and Alcohol

Minor: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Homophobia, and Incest

There are two graphic dog deaths in which injuries are fairly detailed. The antagonist in the book tries many times to make the protagonists kill themselves or eachother via hypnosis. It's also revealed later that he used hypnosis on his stepdaughter so she wouldn't remember him sexually assaulting her. Sexual assault of minors is another theme throughout the book although it's not described in detail.

boundforinfinity's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Rock meets Stephen king/Shirley Jackson and creates this stunning story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Suicide, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Child abuse, Death, Alcoholism, Grief, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Mental illness

Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

monstersinspace's review

dark mysterious tense slow-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, and Violence

Moderate: Pedophilia, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Incest

Minor: Gaslighting

fetusdeletus's review

dark tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

bookwormsbones's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Murder

Moderate: Suicide and Self harm

Minor: Child abuse

jenna_justi2004's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Animal death, Blood, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

jdesk's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.75

this book made me feel so many things. i very much disliked the protagonist and it was really something to watch the character development throughout the journey that they experience. Hill’s take on the dead haunting the living is so interesting and different. it isn’t often that i’m completely satisfied with the ending of books, but this one was great and i couldn’t have imagined a better end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Suicide, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Death, and Child abuse

booksof_fern's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Self harm

Moderate: Car accident, Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

beetsnotbombs's review

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Torture

Moderate: Animal death