Reviews with content warning for Suicide - Liar, Dreamer, Thief

Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Liar, Dreamer, Thief by Maria Dong

19 reviews

caitlynes91's review

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adventurous inspiring mysterious reflective medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

Adored this! Might become a 5 star after sitting with it ✨

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kirnet's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I adored this book. It's rare that I read a thriller that I don't figure out, but the use of Katrina's delusions and the mirror world were well done and kept me hooked throughout the book. I had no clue where any of it was going.

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othersimmons's review against another edition

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challenging funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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neens_m's review against another edition

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mysterious tense 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

3.75

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minimicropup's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Surreal. Secretive. Contradicting.

🇺🇸 Set in a small city near Chicago, Illinois, USA.

POV: We are immersed in the world of a 20-something college dropout working a temp office job.

Narrative: Told in a first-person narrative, it feels like the main character is having a direct conversation with the reader, blending reality with a dreamlike soliloquy.

Mood Reading Match Up:

-Blend of speculative fiction and bizarro elements

-A deep character study wrapped in everyday mundanity

-An amateur sleuth mystery with fairy-tale undertones

-Exploring themes of secret worlds and the eternal battle of good vs. evil amidst a backdrop of loneliness and connection

—

🐺 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags 🐕

✏️ Writing: The writing style has an ethereal, dreamlike quality. It often veers into philosophical musings, interspersed with fairy tale excerpts and geometric descriptions, adding to the book's surreal feel.

🫥 Characters: Our main character is an intriguing study in contradictions: cringe-worthy yet endearing, with a lack of self-awareness that leads to many second-hand embarrassments. She's a complex mix of observant and delusional, introspective yet lost in a fairy-tale world of her own making. This makes for a compelling, if not always likable, character who you can't help but follow through her sometimes disastrous, sometimes poignant journey.

🗺️ Worldbuilding: The setting mirrors the characters in its development. It's less about tangible details and more about the vibes and energies of different places, leaving plenty of room for the reader's imagination.

🔥 Fuel: Suspense in the novel is driven by the uncertainty of what's real and what's imagined. The stakes feel high as the protagonist navigates her delusions and the real-world consequences of her actions.

🐢🐇 Pacing: The pacing of the book is erratic, with a heartwarming, albeit slightly cheesy, ending. The final chapters are beautifully metaphorical, fitting with the character's development.

🎬 Scenes: The novel’s scenes oscillate between bizarre and relatable, creating a sympathetic yet strange narrative. The amateur sleuthing feels realistic, complete with lost evidence and misguided decisions, adding a layer of authenticity to the mystery.

💭 Random Thoughts: The story can feel random at times, with some events seemingly unrelated to the main plot.

🎧 Audio: The audiobook version might not be for everyone, as it has a slightly mumbly quality, but it does fit the character's persona.

—

Content Heads-Up: Mental illness (delusions, intrusive thoughts, rituals, compulsions, insomnia, depression, hoarding, auditory and visual hallucinations). Stalking, obsession. Suicide, suicidal considerations/thoughts. Alcohol (self medicating). Family estrangement. White collar crime. Loss of financial security. Sexual assault/harassment (off page; reported). Threats (gun). Confinement.

Rep includes: Korean and lesbian characters

Format: Kindle and Library Audio via Libby

Reviews are my musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶 refined by my AI Bestie ✨

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anarmandameg's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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curlyewe's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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asiamd's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

This book was absolutely INSANE but in an incredibly good way!! This is the second book I’ve read this month that was way out my comfort zone and I am once again happy that I decided to take the leap! The first part of this book will have you thinking you know who Katrina is and how this book is going to play out, but by the second half, you’re starting to be just as confused as her and I truly think that’s the best part of the book. If this was a movie, I’d have to compare to Gone Girl not because it’s about the same things but because the theme and feel of the book reminds me of it.
The next thing I want to say is the portrayal of Katrina’s mental illness and how it was weaver into the story was actually incredible, I genuinely can’t explain it without giving spoilers but please read this book to find out. It’s the type of book that makes you want to reread it when you get to the end just so you can find all the clues that you missed in the beginning! Overall 10/10

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zombiezami's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

This was so amazingly written and constructed.

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mmcloe's review against another edition

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funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

A bit disappointed with this. For a story so focused on narratives and fiction and the ways they blend and shape our reality, it was incredibly un-writerly. Not much engagement with texts, madness, myth, queerness, capitalism, hauntings - all the impulses driving the plot forward.

If this were made into an HBO miniseries I'd watch it in a heartbeat!

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