Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

87 reviews

ghosthermione's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

As always, amazing book by T. Kingfisher. Very creepy, and I loved how the underlying topics, around the backstory for the character being there and her relationship with her grandmother, being discussed in stark detail and sarcasm, but with a lot of love for the main character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Fatphobia

fatphobia coming from other characters towards the main character; past psychological child abuse being discussed, and current psychological abuse on the page.

julesadventurezone's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I liked the creepy and mysterious beginning more than the action packed end. The narrator is very funny and relatable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Medical content, and Death of parent

Minor: Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Classism

zghutcheson01's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

3.5

This was a fine book but a little slow at the start and then very fast at the end. Everything made sense and I don’t think anything needed to be explained more necessarily but it felt like the speed didn’t match the tone always and there could’ve been more added to make it feel less like a cool idea clunkily fused to an obvious metaphor. Phil also didn’t really feel like a character as much as an object but eh it didn’t bother me that much. That all sounds bad but I legitimately enjoyed it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, and Cannibalism

kurumipanda's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

cadence99's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

I really really enjoyed this book- creepy and familiar all at once. First of all my heart was so full having a fat main character. I also felt as if the author did a fantastic job of capturing the way in which anxieties manifest themselves in these kind of family dynamics. My one complaint is that I wish the ending twist had been more clearly tied into the underlying themes of the book, it was still deeply creepy, but felt a bit detached from the spirit of the rest of the story. But despite that minor grievance, this book is still one of the best I’ve read this year. I’d definitely recommend it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Dementia, and Alcohol

kay_chan's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

I need Kingfisher to just make all of these short novellas into series. I love them dearly! Always want more. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Racism, and Religious bigotry

rmyd42's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Blood

historic_wince's review

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Gore

assigned_dyke's review

dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Kingfisher knocked it outta the park here. The characterization is closely observed, the narrative is tight, and it nails down pat mother-daughter relationships for better and much, much worse. 
If you like haunted house-style stories, you will love this. If you are from a family with a fraught history, you will love this.  If you want a southern gothic tale that doesn't shy away from the realities of confederate bullshit, you will love this.  And if you wanted to be a hedge witch as a child.... this book will take you back in ways you won't see coming. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse

plantgal_jill's review

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fatphobia, Mental illness, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Dementia, Stalking, and Death of parent