Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

24 reviews

rieviolet's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective 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

4.0

I think what I liked the most was Piranesi himself as a narrator, how we slowly discover the house and the story connnected to it from his point of view. 

It is a very imaginative story and certainly very unique, I was really captured by the first half and I still enjoyed the second one, but I think that as the plot progressed and we discovered the darker aspects of it, some of the initial brillance got lost, at least for me. It was still a very enjoyable read that I had trouble putting down (a good half of it I read in just one sitting) and a very well crafted story. 

I also had some personal quibbles over the treatment of certain topics (mailny the only depiction of queerness and also a quite fatphobic description at the very end of the story that really annoyed me) that dimmed my general enjoyment of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Cursing, Fatphobia, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Vomit, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

mariekejee's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

 What a fantastic read. I could nitpick the parts I didn't like, but they're far and few between and I really don't want to. I enjoyed the book immensely, and would suggest not reading too much about the story if you're in any way interested in reading it: just pick the book up, you won't regret it!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Animal death, Child death, and Torture

veeronald's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Murder

Minor: Animal death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

mscalls's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Kidnapping

Minor: Cursing