Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

3 reviews

brenxbee'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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Suicide, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Rape, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Homophobia and Fatphobia

Minor: Animal cruelty and Dementia

lordofdisorder's review

dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, and Violence

Minor: Cancer, Confinement, Dementia, Excrement, and Vomit

rbrockett21's review

dark mysterious slow-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? Yes

3.0

Having just read the Girl on the Train, I was excited to read Hawkins’s next thriller. However, both as a stand-alone and in comparison to GotT, I felt it was disappointing. After seeing how well she can convey unreliable narration, it seemed like this was written by a less experienced author who was just entering the genre. Honestly, it seemed like this could have been her first work, not GotT. I didn’t feel a deep connection with any of the characters, and the set up left me wondering if there even was a mystery to be solved at all.

I think what got in the way of the potentially good plot was the excessive filler written in from each perspective. There’s leaving clues via different perspectives, and then there’s just spending too much time trying to make something out of nothing.

Though it was a quick read, I wouldn’t say I was madly turning the pages out of suspense. The only time the pace picked up was about 2/3 of the way through, and only briefly. Even in the moments leading up to finding out who the guilty party was, I just wasn’t that invested. And, in my opinion, the answer to whodunnit was very disappointing; it felt like it was supposed to be a twist that just completely missed its mark.

I still intend to read A Slow Burning Fire upon its release to see if it’s on par with GotT, but after Into the Water my excitement has been curbed. Hopefully her next novel will rekindle my appreciation for her writing style.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Murder, Rape, Pedophilia, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Vomit, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content