Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Magpie by Elizabeth Day

23 reviews

ms3333's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Rape, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

hayleyholliday's review

2.75

This book was brilliant from about 30%-70% but before and after that, I found it really flat. I really liked the idea but I feel like the ending was more like the ending to a romance novel rather than a psychological thriller. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Stalking

slowloris's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.0

This book is awful. 
Somehow in the 2020s we are still being given media that demonises metally ill, sexual assault survivors. I can't stress strongly enough that sexual assault does not make you crazy and/or should not be used as an excuse for harmful actions. Mentally ill people have been shown time and time again in media that they are dangerous and unpredictable- this is such a damaging and incorrect portrayal of mental illness. 
This critique hasn't even consider (in detail) the poorly developed narrative voice, the lack of tension and "thriller" aspects, and awful pacing. 
I am so throughly disappointed with this book. I was actually brought to tears by how much this book frustrated me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Rape

Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Minor: Fatphobia, Abandonment, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

rupanjali's review against another edition

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Infertility, and Mental illness

Moderate: Gaslighting and Toxic relationship

ellynicholem's review

dark mysterious 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Stalking, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Violence

amythomas's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Graphic: Pregnancy, Infertility, and Mental illness

Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, and Gaslighting

sib_reads's review

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Abortion, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Infertility, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Stalking, Abandonment, Cursing, Pedophilia, and Grief

abbie_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

I picked this one up because I needed something plot-driven to keep my attention while staying at home looking after my dog while she recovered from a traumatic visit to the dentist! Magpie delivers on that front, but only if you don’t think about it too much. 

Considering how well I thought Day handles topics like motherhood and infertility, I was disappointed with her treatment of mental health issues. Not so into mental health problems being used as plot twists. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Rape, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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

3.0

I thought the way

Marisa's mental health

was treated in the plot was problematic. She had

a psychotic break and was not given access to a psychiatrist and mental health services. She was packed away to the country and forced to live in Jake's parents' guest house. Feels like confinement to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Stalking

Moderate: Classism and Panic attacks/disorders

erinbarton's review

dark emotional slow-paced

2.5

this was only a thriller for the first third, and then became a very slow paced family drama. if this were not advertised as a twisty thriller it wouldn’t have been so disappointing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Mental illness

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting