Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

29 reviews

leahthebooklover's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

---

Oh Kate Atkinson, you let me down this time. I was really looking forward to reading this book. One of my favorite genres (mystery/detective) by an author I have enjoyed in the past (Life After Life, A God in Ruins) - it should have been a home run. But this was a sad little story full of sad, ruined people. There were four case histories, four mysteries to be solved, and our detective, Jackson Brodie, really only "solved" one of them, maybe two. We learn the truth behind all of the cases, but sometimes the truth is revealed only to the reader, not to the characters in the book. The four cases all involve a sudden, catastrophic loss of a loved one. The losses (murders) all happened in the past, so the loved ones left behind have been bereft for a long time. There were a LOT of characters to keep track of, and some of the plot threads don't seem to make sense at first, but eventually everything falls into place. More than a mystery, this book is an exploration of loss, grief, and depression. There are lighter moments within this heavy context, but for me, they weren't enough to elevate the book to the point I could honestly say that I liked it. I did like the main character, Jackson Brodie. He may not have been the sharpest investigator, but he was very much trying to be a good man. He has plenty of flaws, but it's obvious he cares about others, in his own somewhat cynical way, and he really loves his daughter. I liked him well enough that I may try reading the second book in the series, but I'm not in a big hurry to do so. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief

Moderate: Cursing, Fatphobia, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder

Minor: Cancer, Suicide, Blood, Religious bigotry

sandysmith's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

A good book concentrating on 3 cold cases and introducing Jackson Brodie, a private investigator looking into them. My favourite characters were Jackson himself and Theo, and I thoroughly disliked the unpleasant Land sisters. But the 3 stories interconnected in a great way. The writing was easy enough, but at times, I didn't like the pacing, finding it in parts quite slow whereas normally I like my crime novels to be un put down able. I also felt it needed further editing. I didn't understand the involvement of his young daughter that he took with him whilst he was investigating. I struggled with the rating. But I can't have disliked it that much as I've ordered the next book in the series from the library

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder

jadiedaffodil's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

aileron's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Infertility, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Stalking, Death of parent

aprica's review against another edition

dark mysterious

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Loveable characters: No

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault

Moderate: Violence, Stalking, Murder

Minor: Suicide attempt

trilobite's review against another edition

2.0

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

All of the characters in this book were horrid except for the missing child. I regret the time I wasted reading this book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment

mlv5ff's review against another edition

2.75

mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Complicated

---

Very slow. In the end I felt like things were obvious and didn't need so much time put into telling the story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Incest, Mental illness, Rape

rowanrelph's review against another edition

4.5

hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Murder

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment

jenn_reads's review against another edition

2.75

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt

phantomgecko's review against another edition

3.0

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

A mystery, I guess, but it's really about people. How do horrible things affect them?

Good use of braiding narratives though. Love when things are interconnected like this.

Also, a number of things/references that I didn't understand totally. British things, mostly political, some cultural. I don't think it greatly affected my understanding of the entire book, though.

Interesting read, but I didn't love it. The characters, while intriguing, weren't loveable to me. And I spent a good deal of time being anxious/depressed over crimes against children.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Classism