Reviews with content warning for Rape - Magpie

Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Magpie by Elizabeth Day

73 reviews

nialiversuch's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

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bobinsbooknook's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this audio book and even finished it in a day!

The writing style, characters and twists this book took made it an incredibly engaging read. I also thought this was very different from other books that I’ve read.

The approach on the twisted mindset, manipulation and of course the themes of infertility were well constructed and at times quite emotional.

The ending was a tad underwhelming and there were parts of the plot I felt could have been fleshed out more to hit home on but overall an interesting read and would recommend - but be sure to check the content warnings beforehand.

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ginnyreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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booksnink's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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megan_bbender's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense 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

3.5

My friends call me Magpie so when I saw this book on the shelf I just had to get it. It's not the most amazing book I have ever read but it also isn't the worst. I really enjoyed certain parts of it, but I found that there were lots and lots of filler pages that were very slow and boring to read.

I feel as if the author does not think the readers are smart enough to figure out the twist on their own which is why there was so much back and forth between the past and present. This is what made the book feel so slow, because you are reading over the same scenario twice.

After looking up the author, I can appreciate that this book may have a lot more deeper meaning as it possibly reflects some of her personal experiences with marriage and IVF but I personally cannot relate to these issues so there was not a strong connection for me.

With that being said, the twists and turns were really unexpected and they kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending was a bit predictable but it was still enjoyable.

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emilydigweed's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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? Yes

3.5

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margaret_k30's review against another edition

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Too anxiety inducing and was uncomfortable with some of the plot points.

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bookishpip's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

3.0

Content Warnings

devmin's review against another edition

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dark

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Didn’t see the twist coming and glad it ended happily

but just didn’t like the story/characters as felt nervy and uncomfortable reading it

Content Warnings

dlrosebyh's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

If this novel had a warning, it would be, “Never trust anyone with a J name”.

Yes, we hear that warning almost everywhere— whether in social media or in our friend groups, however this novel rather takes that warning quite literally.

Magpie follows three characters: Jake, Marisa, and Kate. Despite only having known Jake for a few months, Marisa has never felt quite this confident in a person. She knows she has at last found the unwavering love and support she has been searching for her entire life when he asks her to move in with him and they begin trying for a child. However, when they take in Kate as a lodger, who seems to have little regard for personal boundaries and shows an unsettling interest in both Jake and the unborn child they are hoping to have, their relationship is put to the test.

With the plot given, I didn’t really know what to expect in this novel. I mean, I’ll be honest: I’ve never really liked thrillers or mysteries like the vast majority. With that given, let’s just say that I found this book rather mid. If you know me, you know that if I like a book, especially if I’m reading it digitally, I finish it quickly. Well, while, yes, I did finish this book in like three days, I can’t help but compare it to my experience with other thriller or mystery novels that I’ve finished in one sitting. For me, one of the most important aspects in a thriller novel is for it to be gripping. I don’t want to read a thriller novel to be read slowly, I want to be intrigued; I want to be with the characters. And unfortunately for Magpie, I didn’t really feel that.

I do know that I am not the target audience for this novel. I’ll admit it. I lack knowledge when it comes to marriage, adulthood, surrogation— and I don’t know if it’s because I’m used to fantasy novels, but I wished that some parts were explained more profoundly. And what’s even more annoying is that some parts felt like dragged. And that for me, is a turn-off.

Overall, I think this book is just alright. It’s what you think of when you hear of a three-star-read. While I didn’t enjoy the book as much as other people, I do believe that it is an outstanding book on its own. So if you think this book is for you, then why not give it a shot.

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