Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

143 reviews

on_a_journey's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

 

I enjoyed listening/ reading the book. I liked both perspectives gentrification from Sydney a native and Theo a gentrifier and I liked how they came together to review the history of the neighborhood. The author touched on a lot of other different subjects like Karens, white saviors, experimentation, etc.  The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was how everything was compressed at the end. It was interesting and entertaining but there was a lot going on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Grief, Suicide, and Forced institutionalization

bookwormdystopian2's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Gun violence, and Violence

Minor: Forced institutionalization

whatchareadingheather's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

I was sold on this book by its description of 'Rear Window' (haven't seen it but have seen 'Disturbia' which is close enough) meets 'Get Out' (which I have seen and it still gives me the chills thinking about the WTF-ness of it) and HO-LY SHIT was it accurate. I really don't want to spoil anything because when shit hit the fan it REALLY hit the fan so I guess y'all will just have to read it. My only issue was that it was VERY slow-paced for the first half of the book but the buildup was worth it and I think the pacing could absolutely be fixed in a film adaptation (someone get Nia DaCosta on the phone ASAP to direct this please).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, and Colonisation

jpoe_16's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Alcohol, and Addiction

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Gun violence

vaguely_pink's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Police brutality, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Classism, and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Hate crime

Minor: Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Suicide, Vomit, Confinement, Dementia, Deportation, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Racial slurs, and Sexual content

kumquats87's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Colonisation, Murder, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Grief, Alcohol, Confinement, Hate crime, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Kidnapping, Medical content, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny

Minor: Police brutality, Vomit, Infidelity, and Homophobia

shaqydoo's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, Police brutality, Addiction, Death, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Racism, Violence, Toxic relationship, Genocide, Medical trauma, and Murder

whatsamread's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Gun violence, Racism, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, Grief, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Murder, and Police brutality

moonyreadsbystarlight's review

dark emotional mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.75

I went into this thinking it would be good based on reviews I'd seen, unsure if it would be for me since my experience with thrillers are limited. I ended up really liking it! And it is so brilliant. The way history is weaved into the mystery (even more than what's explicitly discussed) was next-level and it speaks to so many different issues at once. I'm not sure how I felt about the romance

(apart from the fact that I was shocked and appalled when there was NO HANDWASHING after we'd established that this man had grave dirt under his nails 👀... someone please tell me I just missed something there)

, but what I did really love was how the community was written! 

I will say, there are some things I wondered about in regards to Theo's character (it seems like he has more unpacking to do and only some of that was really laid out in the text). 

But overall, I was really impressed and I loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Medical trauma, Racism, and Death

Moderate: Police brutality, Death of parent, and Forced institutionalization

There is some questioning of a character's sanity within the book that might be a problem for some readers

cooper_reads_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Physical abuse, Blood, Classism, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Medical trauma, Slavery, Medical content, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content

Minor: Deportation and Forced institutionalization