Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

134 reviews

lucyrudd's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• 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

Moderate: Abandonment, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Grief, Torture, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, and Violence

norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Drug use, Physical abuse, Body horror, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Cancer, Cursing, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Homophobia, Infidelity, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Torture, and Toxic relationship

marijuanerareads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Confinement, Pedophilia, Violence, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, and Death

jacs63's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

While I enjoyed this easy to read, page-turner, I'm not a fan of books the run on a 3 chapter turn-over. 
There's one chapter about the going's on in the 80's and 90's in Chelsea; then an up to date chapter about some members of the family, and then one about a very innocent member of the plot. 
I find it hard sometimes to keep the interest going when there is a 2 chapter gap before the story continues again. I find it annoying. 
Its a fairly gruesome story at times, but its quite predictable. 
It's a good book and worth 4 stars, but so over-hyped by the publishers etc. Saying that, I will read the sequel, only because I want to find out about Phin. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Abandonment, Cursing, Rape, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Violence

isabezza's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

Wow! I have been putting off this book for months, having it sitting on my TBR (despite recommendations from friends) and I cannot believe I didn't pick this up sooner! I was hooked from the first chapter. I would definitely read another story by Lisa Jewell. 
With multiple POV unreliable narrators, and a graphic writing style, I loved the structure of this book. My brain was constantly activated from horror/disgust or desperately trying to work out the next plot twist, making this a fast-paced and exciting mystery. Despite not typically being a thriller fan, the unsolved mystery, horrific plot, and investigative journalism maintained my interest. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Violence, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pregnancy, and Suicide

Moderate: Eating disorder and Medical content

tristinrose's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Abortion, Vomit, Blood, Drug use, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage

amaruuk's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

4.75

read this in one sitting this was INSANE i literally had my mouth open the entire time....as much as it pains me to say i think i AM a henry apologist but i think that just proves how insane and well-written this book is, that by the end of it you are completely empathetic and everything feels justified. i pride myself in being able to predict endings and twists but i did not see a single thing coming in this entire book, but it all still felt completely coherent and plausible. this was so good. this was insane. i need to lie down.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content

Minor: Animal death, Death, and Blood

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.75

I had quite a good time with this book, and I kept picking it up to find out more of the story as it unfolded. I'll definitely look at this author again. I appreciated the unease of the book and not being sure if the narrators are reliable. Trauma all over the place.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Infidelity, Grief, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Rape, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Chronic illness, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal cruelty and Blood

elsebeok's review

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Murder, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Child abuse, Death, and Drug use

Minor: Animal death

monique1316'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Violence, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape, Death, Suicide, Pregnancy, Infertility, Death of parent, Animal death, and Blood