Scan barcode
bookishloz's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Grief, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, Medical content, Death of parent, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Child death, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Cursing, Confinement, and Blood
the_book_bee's review
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Torture, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Blood, Confinement, and Animal death
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Addiction, and Confinement
Minor: Trafficking, Cannibalism, and Adult/minor relationship
fluffy1st's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Blood, Pregnancy, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, and Drug use
fi_reads_books's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Death
Moderate: Miscarriage, Gore, Murder, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Physical abuse
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Confinement, Gore, Kidnapping, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Addiction, and Gun violence
kkalicky94's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Infidelity, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Addiction, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Medical content, and Self harm
thehmkane's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Violence, Animal death, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Murder, Misogyny, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Blood
melliedm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Sundial was filled with surprises and grotesque imagery, but also managed to be a display of restraint. The book frequently gave us just enough information to draw a conclusion without spelling it out for us, which is a refreshing change of pace. A chilling thriller that kept me flipping pages until I reached the ending.
The story is told through switching perspectives of Rob and Callie, Rob’s past as she recounts details to her daughter, and passages from a book that Rob has written. The only sore spot for me was the latter. I had hoped it would be more relevant as the story continued, but for me it served to interrupt the pace.
Other than that, I loved this read. Make sure to check the content warnings before picking it up, though, because it definitely deals with many big trigger items (albeit quite deftly).
Graphic: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Confinement, Death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Animal death
rosemarygrace1211's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Grief, and Confinement
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Child abuse, Animal death, Death, Addiction, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Animal cruelty
imstephtacular's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, Confinement, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Alcohol, Body horror, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Vomit
starrysteph's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The setup is an unassuming tale of domestic dysfunction, though it soon elevates and spirals into the realm of horror. We follow Rob, an English teacher & mother struggling with her deeply unstable family. Her husband Irving is abusive and dangerous, her older daughter Callie has been acting strange, and her younger daughter Annie is sweet and frail.
Callie has begun to display some peculiar & disturbing behavior - she's collecting and displaying animal bones, talking to imaginary creatures, and may wish to harm her little sister. Rob feels she must take action and flees with Callie to Sundial - her family's compound in the Mojave desert - in an attempt to improve their bond and understand Callie's behavior. (Irving wholeheartedly disagrees.)
Once they arrive, the plot expands in a flash and Rob's tumultuous history is slowly revealed. As dark secrets come to light, Rob knows she's at a critical decision point for her family's safety.
We as readers are constantly being manipulated, tossed back and forth by the unreliability of the characters’ minds. Catriona Ward is skilled at sharing little specific moments that illuminate the core of a person (thinking of the French restaurant scene here). Though are a lot of plot threads, it is overall a straightforward story.
The setting is excellent - you feel the grittiness and expansiveness of the desert. The depiction of the Sundial compound is also really well done; I could picture every part of it.
One of the big thematic questions is nature vs nurture, specifically in regards to violent impulses . Some of the characters tackle this through extreme medical experimentation (huge trigger warning for animal cruelty & death, specifically with dogs). Though many of the actual instances of cruelty happen "offscreen", please be wary if you are sensitive to depictions of animal harm.
Overall - I enjoyed Sundial (if enjoyed is even the right word to describe the experience). I'll be chewing on these concepts for a while (I have some THEORIES!).
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Violence