Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

3 reviews

espressoreader's review

tense slow-paced

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

1.0

This is what happens when an author has a bunch of ideas on sticky notes and then decides to chose which one to use by playing pin the tail on the donkey.  Unfortunately, the reader is the donkey in this scenario.  The plot of this book was about 3 different mismatched and then mangled story arcs that were never spliced.  

The alcoholism of the main character took too much time.  Does it happen?  Absolutely, but functional alcoholics are functional not constantly at the booze at the cost of other things, and dysfunctional alcoholics don’t make good narrators.  Too much of the main character’s personality was obfuscated by the addiction.  I am aware that it happens in life, but that does not render it a good person to select to guide the whole book.

Fail.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Stalking, Grief, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

mallory10100'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this was so insanely twisty i had absolutely no idea where it was going 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Stalking, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Death, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Drug use, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Cursing

Minor: Blood, Infidelity, and Vomit

apbobbette's review

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

3.0

Thanks netgalley! But also what did I just read lol. Full review to come closer to publication.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Minor: Domestic abuse and Blood