Reviews tagging 'Violence'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

43 reviews

thatchickengirl23's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Bullying, Chronic illness, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Dementia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent

fiz23_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Child death

Moderate: Classism, Dementia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Confinement, Deadnaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, and Violence

writteninmagic's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Dementia, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Murder, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

kairhone's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Death

meliemelo's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I am fascinated by how masterfully Shirley Jackson manages to create such an eery atmosphere, making you feel so much when so little happens. Merricat is a mesmerising heroine and I was equally intrigued by Constance and Uncle Julian. I found the last few chapters harrowing, more so than I had anticipated, mainly because of how deeply invested I was in Merricat and her feelings.

On a side note, I wasn't too keen on the analysis provided at the end of my edition, but it did not make me like the story any less. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Bullying, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Murder, Dementia, Confinement, and Violence

maresuju's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Dementia, Bullying, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Minor: Child death

frankieclc's review against another edition

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Mental illness

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Death, Sexism, and Bullying

avasbookmark's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

I guess I was waiting for something more to happen and it just never did? I don’t know I was pretty disappointed by this one.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Murder, Confinement, Violence, and Death

sas_lk's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Oof. I don't even know where to start... there are so many layers to this book that I really did not expect. In some parts it was incredibly hard for me to read - that dread of somebody snaking themselves into your life and turning those you love into somebody you do not know and trust anymore. The despair in this book was tangible; it still weighs heavily in my heart, and I suspect it will continue to do so for long. I feel so much for Mary, this little girl who's had her world thrown upside down, who simply wants a better life - a moon to live on, where everything is okay - and doing every thing she can to get to that moon. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is filled with the desperate need of a child to hold on to a world she can cope with. This novel was so heartwrenching and tragic... I feel as though nothing I could say would accurately describe the pure pain in this novel. 
I'm going to need a long time to truly process this book I think, and I will probably find myself coming back to it again and again.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Hate crime, Death, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death

sue_likes_books's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence