Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

8 reviews

emmieclassix's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Murder, Gaslighting, Death, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Violence

scottyreadsstuff's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Well this was a fun time!! I enjoyed Once Upon a Dream more than A Whole New World, but gave it the same rating. I certainly think the idea of a nightmare labyrinth world is interesting! And I definitely want to continue in this series, but intermittently, there’s only so much “dark Disney” I can take 😅

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

hbeighey's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Violence

vixenreader's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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

3.5

It’s like Disney made its own version of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and it magically worked out. Plus Aurora is a thousand times more interesting in this book than in the original movie. There, I said it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Murder, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Death, Blood, Mental illness, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Gore, Body horror, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Cursing, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape

Warning for complicated family history, adoption, stress about one’s legacy and responsibility, verbal abuse, and grief over learning that your whole life was a lie.

theblondebird's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Murder

keepingitread's review

adventurous hopeful slow-paced

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

3.0

This book was a bit slow paced at first, however it did pick up about halfway though. It was also a bit confusing to me in the beginning of the story before i started to piece things together, I'm not sure if that's just a me thing or not. However overall I enjoyed the adventure once the story started to pick up.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, and Grief

stormywolf's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

4.0

 Coming to the tale of Sleeping Beauty, which features one of my least favorite heroines but one of my most favorite villains, I had mixed feelings. Would the heroine be elevated by having more time and depth added? Would the villain be re-imagined with a(nother) sympathetic backstory? Would this story reside in my dreams, or haunt my nightmares?

Read my full review at The Wolf's Den

Overall, this one hit me a lot harder than I ever expected one of these Twisted Disney stories would. It still has its fair share of things I didn't like, things that felt tonally off, and things I felt could have been given a deeper exploration, but on the whole I appreciated the thought and care given to the main subject. Aurora Rose was taken from a passive role as a damsel in distress, now re-imagined as a character with gifts and curses (given & natural) who has to fight demons (literal & internal) in order to overcome evil and find her place in the world. If you're okay with some dark subject matter—specifically murder, childhood trauma, and mental health issues—I would highly recommend checking out this Twisted Tale. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Mental illness

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Animal death and Rape

The word "rapists" is used once, but given no context or further thought.

A majority of the story focuses on the main character's depression, with a couple scenes describing her suicide attempt (knowing she was to be cursed with eternal sleep, but willingly going through with it).

marysbookcorner's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts