Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Poison Thread by Laura Purcell

9 reviews

nadiajohnsonbooks's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

Ooooh this book was so satisfying!

We have two protagonists: Dorothea, an oddly progressive (by early Victorian standards) with an obsession with phrenology and Ruth, a seamstress and alleged murderess who seems to believe that she can impart curses with her stitches.

The two have had very different upbringings, but both have lost a parent to ugly deaths.

Dorothea becomes obsessed with Ruth's case, determined to prove that the young inmate can be reformed and, in doing so, change the very shape of her anatomy.

As Ruth's horrifying past is revealed, Dorothea comes to doubt some fundamental truths about her life and the nature of human morality.

The crimes are so layered and complex, the characters are deliciously complicated, and the ending felt so, so good.

I loved Purcell already, but I think I need to buy all her damn books now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Physical abuse

Minor: Blood, Classism, Bullying, Racism, Body horror, Gore, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

silverthistle's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Confinement, Violence, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Domestic abuse

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

This was one of my 12 recs from 12 friends and the second Purcell novel I’ve read. I was pulled in right away and didn’t want to put this one down!

The story is told through switching POVs between Ruth and Dorothea. I preferred Ruth to Dorothea, Dorothea’s storyline could be annoying and she doesn’t have as much depth  (her one personality trait is measuring people’s skulls to determine their traits and that constant narrative was irritating, although very Victorian).

The childbirth scene was gross and traumatizing-I had to look away and felt nauseous 🤢 But on that note, Purcell does such a good job with putting you in the novel. Very atmospheric writing and great job building the Victorian backdrop!

The twists were unexpected and well done. Pacing was also well done, as the tension slowly builds throughout as we hear Ruth’s story right alongside Dorothea. I did however feel slightly unsatisfied with the ending, it was a bit abrupt and wish we got an epilogue to wrap things up for Dorothea’s future after that final scene.

Overall an ominous, creeping story in the vein of a Victorian gothic horror story! Purcell is officially a favorite author I’ll be reading more from 💗 I recommend for anyone wanting a gothic historical mystery with complex characters and atmospheric writing (but be wary of the content warnings because it’s very graphic and dark)!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Medical trauma, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Gore, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Torture, Confinement, Child death, Sexism, Suicide, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Self harm

holliebye's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Torture, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Classism, Terminal illness, and Violence

Minor: Body shaming, Self harm, Suicide, Slavery, and Excrement

kurumipanda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Blood, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Suicide, Violence, Child death, Grief, Body horror, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gore, Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Self harm, and Religious bigotry

linguaphile412's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Child death

Moderate: Racial slurs, Excrement, Racism, and Vomit

cjlambert's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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? Yes

5.0

**trigger warning for very graphic childbirth scene**

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Gore

Moderate: Torture, Pregnancy, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide

Minor: Bullying, Confinement, and Death of parent

archaicrobin's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Laura Purcell’s horror is some of my absolute favorite. I read the Silent Companions prior to The Poison Thread (also called The Corset in some editions) and I honestly can’t pick which is my favorite! 

You follow a young girl named Ruth in prison waiting for her trial as she shares her terrifying life story to Dorothea, a well off socialite who spends her time and money studying the skulls of inmates at the prison she sponsors. As Ruth tells her tale and her power to harm through her sewing Dorothea is at first skeptical but slowly begins to believe her. 

This story is eerie, horrifying, tragic, and so good!! The characters are well written and while Dorothea’s chapters are boring in comparison to Ruth’s I can still see why they’re necessary. If you’re looking for a unique horror story read this or anything by Laura Purcell. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Racism

Minor: Torture

chaotically_katie's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and Blood

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Self harm, Sexism, and Terminal illness