Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

5 reviews

sabrinalexis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Violence, Death, Body horror, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death

bedetterman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Medical content, and Abandonment

apollo0325's review

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

First, I'd like to say the length of this novel saved this from being a DNF for me. I almost DNF'd midway through part one, but I said fuck it, it's only a 6 hour audiobook and I decided to keep going. I'm glad I did. This book encompasses such a specific angle of grief that isn't explored enough in literature especially under the lens of psychological horror/body horror/cosmic horror (of sorts).

I won't lie, the beginning is VERY slow because it's setting up Thiago's relationship with Vera, his mental state at her loss, and what life was like with her. However, after part one, we really get a grasp of what this novel is going to be in a way. I kept seeing people online pitch this book as one about grief and a "haunted Alexa" but babes, the haunted Alexa part is maybe 10% of the novel within part one and mentioned later on. I'd pitch this book as a psychological horror examining grief and how one deals with loss as someone basically loses their grip on reality (psychosis). Thiago is someone who is absolutely stricken with bad luck 100% of the time, and you learn this very quickly in part one. It makes this book all the more tragic.

If you're sensitive to animal death/violence especially with dogs, please cautiously read this book. It doesn't occur until part two, but everything snowballs very quickly after that point.

The ending was simultaneously confusing and tragic. I knew Thiago was succumbing to his grief, but it was really unclear as to what was actually happening to him. That's more of a me problem + listening through the audiobook. NGL, I also kind of hate the idea that people's tragedies/fates are inescapable, especially when it is based on generational trauma. It makes it feel like there is no hope at all and instead you should just die to save the people around you. It's a very hopeless ending, but that's also my interpretation. Others may feel differently! I think the open ending allows the reader to draw their own conclusions on what was going on with Thiago.

This book was brutal, unsettling, and tragic. The audiobook narrator was also FANTASTIC. I loved his narration. I'd read another book with him narrating it for sure.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Alcohol, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abandonment and Classism

If you are sensitive to animal death / viscera, I would not recommend this book unless you feel okay going in knowing it WILL be descriptive and detailed. The body horror in this one is also very well described.

not necessarily a spoiler but to be safe, sticking it here. The book can also be interpreted as a psychosis/psychological break of the protagonist.

ashleycmms's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Gore

Minor: Murder

kaylee1957's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

An emotional heartbreaking and horrifying. Dark and delightful. Stephen King's Cujo esk moments. Literally had my heart racing. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Suicide, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Abandonment