Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

57 reviews

readinglitwithbritt's review

mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship

tomas_lw's review

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

A haunting tale and an intriguing mystery. I could barely put it down. This is a story that will live in my mind for many years.

My only complaint is that there is a part of the book, after the central mystery is mostly revealed but before the climax begins to build where the book lost its pace and rhythm for bit but t got it back and stuck the landing magnificently. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Confinement, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Death

It's not quite as bad as the tags make it sound though. But there's some heavy stuff in it.

shannabanana6's review

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a really cool sci fi book. The world of the Labyrinth was so cool and Piranesi's love and reverence toward it and the world is admirable, to find beauty in everything is not easy but I think that's the moral of the story here. There's also some more intense aspects too which is kind of a strange mix of trauma/sadness and love and beauty. I found the resolution at the end of the book rather satisfying although I want to know more bout how he's getting on in this new world.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

tmickey's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Confinement

Moderate: Kidnapping and Gun violence

Minor: Suicide, Murder, and Vomit

lindsayrae114's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

The gaslighting going on in this book could light up the whole damn country for a lifetime. This book made me angry for the main character. I appreciated the way everything unfolded, but it was really difficult to read at times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

ayamaro's review

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Confinement

Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Death, Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

Minor: Fatphobia

isabyrne's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

This book is probably for someone, just not for me. It was too surreal and there were many content warnings that made me feel uncomfortable (and aren’t talked about a lot because they are spoilers). I also really didn’t like the narrator or his voice

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship

sonlight21's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

2.75

If you like academia, wether that be light or dark or whatever, you would enjoy this book. I have never gotten into that genre/trope before but it was interesting. I loved the writing style it was beautifully lyrical and simple to understand. It didn’t feel like the author was trying to be overly intellectual or talk down to the reader. 
However this book fell a little flat for me. I think that many people would adore this book and many people may not like it. Personally it was just kinda there for me. I could see the plot twist coming from the fist chapter, and I don’t know if that’s because I analyze peoples writing too much or watch too many mystery shows but when the “plot twist” came I was like FINALLY. I also went into the book completely blind. I didn’t read the back cover or anything about it. 
If you enjoy the academia trope you should give this book a try! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Gaslighting

chrisljm's review against another edition

mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Despite the short length of the book, it is a slow start full of world building. However once you get past that it is so incredibly captivating, and I come to realize how amazing the world building is. Although Piranesi isn’t the only character, he is pretty much the only character you see majority of the time, but even so he’s engaging and the storytelling is fantastic, immersive, and so unique. I loved how soft the fantasy elements were and the way the novel was structured. Basically everything that I found slightly confusing at first were all things that I came to appreciate and really enjoy. 

I think Susanna Clarke deserved the awards she got for this book, and I understand why I heard so much praise for it, but I can also see how this book wouldn’t be for every type of reader. Luckily, I enjoyed it immensely and I found that this is the type of story that lingers and leaves a lot to think on afterwards. One of them being that personally, I would love to see The House because to Me it sounded beautiful despite its solitude. I also think it would be interesting to see how other readers viewed The House, in a personality test type of way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Gun violence

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Excrement, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Vomit

Minor: Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Torture

amgbac09's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Slavery, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Kidnapping, and Death

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Gun violence