Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

29 reviews

readwithev's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? No

4.25

This book sucked me in. I love all the clues Libby and Miller find that unlocked pieces of their Chelsea house history. Having three characters’ perspectives was great. It called into question how accurate each characters’ memory is/isn’t. how do they perceive and process their trauma? How does it affect them as adults?
Moreover, I enjoyed Henry’s perspective. He’s an enthralling complicated mix of a traumatized child, suppressed gay man, dark sociopath, self aware yet unapologetic, but also a manipulative narcissist. I feel connected to him, but also disgusted.
I did particularly predict some of the mystery and twists but some of them I didn’t due to the characters’ varying accounts. That is why the book doesn’t get a full 5 stars. Overall, really enjoyed it.

The book ends on a nail biting cliff hanger which I enjoyed but it also left me feeling tense.
I didn’t really enjoy the addition of Libby and Miller’s love story. It was subtle but I thought it was unnecessary. However, I did like that Libby’s adoptive mother had a chaotic lifestyle, and death of her adoptive father left her with anxious tendencies.
Though Lucy gets away with murder, it’s also closure for her. I feel okay with it even though murder is wrong. Her ex was trying to rape her, he was physically and emotionally abusive, and he was a criminal. In a sick way, it’s justice for Lucy and signals the end of her terrible life in France.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Torture

lucyrudd's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Grief, Torture, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, and Violence

norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Drug use, Physical abuse, Body horror, Grief, Alcohol, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal cruelty, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Cancer, Cursing, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Homophobia, Infidelity, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Torture, and Toxic relationship

bookmark3brodi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Miscarriage, Car accident, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Kidnapping, Blood, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Bullying, and Pedophilia

sabbcm's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Death of parent, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Torture, Confinement, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Trafficking, Stalking, Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

brynhayes's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Torture, Toxic relationship, Confinement, and Death

emilylouise1608's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

This was my first Lisa jewell book. The first half of the book I was struggling to keep up with the time jumps and all the characters but once I got my head around it I enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Rape, Miscarriage, Child abuse, and Torture

alanahoney630's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Slavery, Torture, and Violence

mollykrystyna's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Child death, and Torture

acuriousreaderr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Torture

Minor: Animal death