Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

47 reviews

syd_syd's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Murder

Minor: Confinement, Misogyny, and Death of parent

thehmkane's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Stalking

bookmark3brodi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

minimicropup's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.5

Amazinggg. The plot and the writing and the characters are so well developed and everything seems to jump off the page. The audiobook narration is excellent. If you are looking for a thriller but one with a lot of depth this is an excellent choice. If you aren’t a fan of books involving cults I think it’s still worth giving this a try - without giving away any spoilers, the cult aspect isn’t quite as it seems. More conman-woman type. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Murder

alexis_something_rose's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

2.75

this one is so so difficult to rate, because although i could see how it could make a good read, it probably just isn’t for me.
maybe i should invest more time into researching the content warnings rather than picking up books just because.
the story kept me turning pages, and the plot is mapped out pretty well, except the occasional plot hole, and i was quite riveted and definitely very terrified.
that said, the characters felt a bit flat to me, but then again, that may well be because i didn’t exactly vibe very well with the story overall.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Drug use, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Violence

lhodgson26's review against another edition

dark 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

3.0

This was a great psychological thriller and did keep you guessing right till the end. I'm not surprised there is a sequel and will read it as there are still a lot of loose ends. The book was so fast paced and told from the three different perspectives which slowly came together to reveal the truth of what the horror of the house became and what happened the night of the 'suicides'. I just found it a very unsettling read with a lot of dark themes and I definetly do not trust Henry or the man he became. I liked the book but it was an uncomfortable read too with so much death. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Murder

dorsetreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

yvonne_aaf's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I really liked this book, it’s the first Lisa Jewell novel I’ve read, and I’m definitely going to read through her backlist because of it. I loved her writing style, it’s almost got a lighthearted quality to it, but not so much that it detracts from the severity of the situations the characters are in, but rather reflects the fact that the book centres on the experience of children, and we’re seeing a lot of the events unfold through them. It makes for a really vivid reading experience, and I could picture the events as if I was watching through a camera.

I know there’s a sequel out, but I’m weirdly apprehensive of reading it, just because I was really satisfied with the ending of this one, and don’t want to see it all go up in flames 😭

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Murder

izzybell's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship