Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Sundial by Catriona Ward

2 reviews

kermit_the_wrong's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

Never really *got there*. It had potential but just fizzled out somewhere along the way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Violence, Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Infertility, and Body horror

travelseatsreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I was beyond excited to read Sundial as The Last House On Needless Street was one of my favourite reads of 2021. Like with TLHONS I went into Sundial completely blind and I think it definitely paid off.

Ward has an innate ability to completely engulf the reader within her writing and immediately the darkness and unease begins to claw  it's way out of the pages from the very first chapter. There are so many layers within this story that it would be easy for a reader to get lost among them but Catriona harrowingly and flawlessly ensures every single enmeshed strand has a place and a purpose.

The story is told with alternating POV's and dual timelines which works perfectly to ensure the reader is left hanging on every word waiting for that gnawing tension to subside (spoiler alert, it doesn't).

I can't write this review without mentioning trigger warnings as frankly this book in itself is almost one. There are large sections to do with animal deaths and experiments on dogs. To be honest, this is normally a hard no for me and I will often DNF a book with animal abuse but to be fair none of it appeared gratuitous or overly descriptive so while it took me aback it wasn't overly distressing. There are also many mentions of multiple forms of abuse (adult, child, physical and emotional), mental illness, pregnancy, infant death,  self harm and suicidality.

Overall, Sundial is an engrossing, dark, sinister and twisted psychological horror meets thriller which will send shivers up your spine and leave you haunted for some time to come.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence