Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

16 reviews

mr_cain's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.75

I only docked .25 of a star because the pacing was so slow in the exposition. I understand she's establishing a whole host of characters and I do appreciate it, but it's a book you have to power through the first part of. 

This book genuinely kept me guessing. I did suspect the real culprit several times, but I waffled often. Hawkins does a great job supplying motive and details for each of the suspects without it feeling like a painfully deliberate red herring. 

Hawkins also makes the characters each their own and her style is distinct for each chapter in a different POV (i.e. Helen, Jules, + Sean's chapters all feel genuine vs. the same style with different names as many POV switching books seem to do). She provides a cast of characters who are complex and feel so real. Not every character is deeply complicated but they all have their own established psyches which I loved. 

I can easily call myself a Paula Hawkins fan after this.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Bullying, Body shaming, Infidelity, Rape, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Blood

Minor: Vomit, Eating disorder, and Chronic illness

paronomaniac's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious relaxing 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicide, and Rape

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Infidelity, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Fatphobia

exrthalex's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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

This book closely followed several seemingly intertwined unfortunate “drownings.” Throughout the most recent tragedies, the characters are forced to confront past trauma and mistakes, so they can understand, learn, and heal. I expected the plot to have a closer connection to witchcraft/the previous “witches” drowned, but it instead felt like a side note. I enjoyed the plot overall, but would have loved if this element was explored more. While the use of multiple character perspectives can be confusing at times, it ultimately complements the story by providing an omniscient POV. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Grief, Murder, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Rape, Pedophilia, and Suicide

mabelstulips's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Animal death, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, and Death of parent

unboxedjack's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense 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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty

funofme's review

dark medium-paced

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

3.25

i am so unsatisfied with this whole book. it was just low after low after low with a few holes in there

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Fatphobia

Moderate: Child abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

bluejeepbaby's review

mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Suicide, and Fatphobia

Minor: Animal death, Lesbophobia, Murder, and Animal cruelty

hkhowell's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I love the format of this book! There were so many characters and they all had their own POV chapters which added to the mystery in a compelling way. I would have liked to read more about the drownings before Lauren/seen their connection a little more obviously. I also would have loved to learn more about the main characters back story - we don't know anything about her before Nel's death. I get why she didn't want to go back to where she grew up but I would have liked to know what all she was leaving behind to do so.

I liked this one way more than the girl on the train. Ultimately the reading experience was more enjoyable than the actual story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Murder, Rape, Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, and Emotional abuse

angelafeng's review

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Murder, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Animal death, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Rape, Cursing, Bullying, Body shaming, and Pedophilia

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Eating disorder, Cancer, and Suicide attempt

emilykayvsthelibrary's review against another edition

difficult to follow 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicide

Moderate: Fatphobia