Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Die stumme Patientin by Alex Michaelides

272 reviews

callofthewild's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

mxpringle's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Mental illness, and Child abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Drug use, and Self harm

username330's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Stalking, Suicide, Grief, Drug use, Murder, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Gun violence, Violence, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Blood

Moderate: Death of parent, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Trafficking and Car accident

dalek_caan's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

2.5

This book was overall an okay read. It is definitely overhyped. The writing style itself was done well but that the plot and characters were lacking. In the beginning, I was incredibly confused by what year the book was supposed to be based in, considering the technology seemed modern but they were practicing psychology like it was the 1950s. Additionally, the plot from the beginning was clearly very focused on a savior fantasy. At the beginning of the book the main character says something along the lines of "This isn't my story, this is Alicia's," but then proceeds to spend most of the time talking about his own life and motives.

The ending somewhat redeemed the way the story was written, but it still rubbed me the wrong way until I figured out the direction the plot was going about 2/3 of the way through the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Infidelity, Death, Death of parent, and Child abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Car accident

Minor: Animal death

lilawsahar's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.0

Such a fascinating read. I kind of guessed the twist but the reason why was so much more gut wrenching than I imagined.

I can’t believe the psychiatrist did not guess the reason for her silence. He was the one who gave Gabriel the ultimatum: her or him. He picked her so she chose him. She loved him more than herself and he didn’t feel the same way. However, I still struggle to see why he killed her. What did she have against him? The truth. No one believed her truth.

Also him and his wife seem to have fallen into the same pattern that his dad and mom had. A loveless marriage. He should have listened to his first therapist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Suicide, Stalking, Self harm, Murder, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Confinement

marlee_grace's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book. Smashed though it. Couldn't put it down. I loved that I found myself jumping to conclusions but I was all wrong. The book wasn't predictable at all! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Self harm, Violence, Death of parent, Suicide, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Grief, Car accident, Child abuse, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Suicidal thoughts

aleen_elizabeth's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

Brilliant book for those with an appreciation of mental health facilities and those that live, and work, there. Great plot that was unseen until the last few chapters.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Car accident, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Infidelity

homebodywitch's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I absolutely loved this and devoured it in one day. I have read people’s criticisms of it and get where they are coming from but I found this unputdownable. I had so many theories going, trying to be on the lookout for clues, and in the end the twist really did get me! I literally said “oh my god” out loud. Is it a perfect book? No. Some of it is nonsensical. But it’s fiction. And it’s gripping. I found it compelling and would highly recommend it as a page turner. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking

michelleub's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

2.5

In the beginning  I could not understand why I didn’t like the book. At first I thought that it was my fault and that thrillers just might not be for me, and questioned if I actually know what a thriller is and if I had the right expectations. But after reading another thriller (the housemaid) I realized how a good thriller can actually be. So now that I’ve told you my journey I can tell you how I would describe this book. It’s like normal novel BUT someone dies at the end ( you find out about the details of the murder) but there wasn’t any thrill to it because 95% was a novel where I just thought why the heck am I reading about 

His wife and her affair

like why should I care, but then at the end the shoe drops and you’re like ahhhhh that’s  why I had to endure that entire storyline, thanks for making it so boring:) the plot twist is actually good but it’s the only good part about the book so I would reconsider if it actually is worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Murder, and Stalking

Moderate: Gore

klandry98's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Death, Gun violence, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Car accident