Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Sundial by Catriona Ward

17 reviews

breacommelafromage's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

2.5

Considerably less problematic than THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET but this just didn’t do anything for me. I wanted to give this author a second chance and this book was so highly recommended by readers and authors I respect but I think I just have to say Catriona Ward isn’t my cup of tea and stop trying with her. 

The writing is bland and the plot and characters just really are that deep or interesting ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Murder, Miscarriage, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Animal cruelty

vixenreader's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book will hit hard for anyone who has a sibling (especially sisters) and suffers from generational trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Gaslighting

If you are afraid of dogs, this book will prove to be quite triggering. Plus no one likes when the dog dies.

daire's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Torture, Animal cruelty, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, and Stalking

mfallon3491's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Violence, Gaslighting, and Gore

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

jadereads_'s review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Addiction and Suicide attempt

Minor: Infidelity

j_reads_nightmares's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

 

Yes, yes, yes! I had read Ward’s previously novel The Last House on Needless Street, and was super impressed by the whole story, plot twist, and writing in general (immediate 5 stars). I went into Sundial a little hesitantly, worried that it wouldn’t live up. But I ended up completely devouring it and love it even better than Needless (which I didn’t think would be possible!). 

 

Sundial, encompassing a mysterious past for the MC (Rob) and her current family drama (domestic abuse, not connecting with her child, ect), is thoroughly creepy and keeps readers guessing what will happen next. With a heavy dash of what seems to be supernatural and horror elements, this thriller is so much more than your typical ‘whodunit’ and I highly suggest this to any fans of both thrillers and horror. 

 

Reading other reviews, I see that Ward has a few other books published – so I’m gonna go look into that and add those to my TBR ASAP. And consider Ward a new auto-buy author for her future work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty

Moderate: Animal death and Suicide attempt