Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

78 reviews

yellowbinge's review

adventurous 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: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Vomit

lianaet's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

It was certainly a struggle to get through Part 1 of this book, and the rest was still fairly hard to read in big chunks (until this last bit). The confusing aspect of the World is hard to follow most of the time, but you do kind of just have to accept that's how this book is. And it's an important aspect, with Piranesi's character.

Also minor spoilers? Kind of? But this book resonated with me towards the end, with the gaslighting, and the realisation of what's really going on - but still feeling a confusing type of way towards that person. As well that Piranesi is forever changed by the House and what he lived through there.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Kidnapping

Minor: Vomit, Murder, Gun violence, Death, and Excrement

horizonous's review against another edition

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? No

4.0

Beautifully written and with every new piece of information more and more engaging. I think, the depiction of loneliness was the hardest but also somewhat most comforting part about this story. Definitely a book that will stay with me for a while. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death and Confinement

Minor: Mental illness and Vomit

desiderium_incarnate's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.75

This was a pretty surprising read. I would say it starts with fantasy, then adds in some dark academia and towards the ends becomes a bit of a thriller. I did not expect that. It was also a quick read and well written. 

It gives you a lot to think about, which can be nice. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Mental illness, Death, Child death, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Kidnapping, Gun violence, Gaslighting, and Confinement

violerwolf's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Susanna Clarke asks the bold question: what if “The Backrooms” wasn’t a boring horror gimmick? 

Intriguing mysteries, deep symbolism and philosophical reflection, and a riveting but small cast of characters make this book impossible to put down. I can’t wait to reread it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Death, and Confinement

Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Cursing, and Vomit

Somewhat spoilers, kept as vague as possible:

A character suffers from memory loss/amnesia.

itsnotalakeitsanocean's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

I think this book came to me at the perfect time. I see many critics and reviewers claiming that this book is nothing like they've ever read. Part of me agrees, but the part of me who is currently on a Remedy Entertainment Universe (if you couldn't tell from my recent reviews) feels like this book could slot in as a spinoff eerily well between Control and Alan Wake 2 (the book came out after the former but before the latter). I guess I'm a sucker for potentially sentient "Houses" that reflect Jungian concepts such as the collective unconscious.

Things I liked:

• Even though I could predict where the plot was going to go, I still enjoyed reading how it happened. One of the themes of the story is about the destination being more important than the journey, and it takes guts and skill to incorporate it into the plot.
• Clarke does an incredible job of making a liminal space feel lived in by its main character without completely forgoing the fact it is a liminal space.
• The magic elements felt believable and thought out without going into too much detail so as to take away the mystique of it all.

Things I didn't like:

• It was a bit of a slow-paced beginning and I think the introduction of The House and Piranesi's daily life in it could have been cut down to one chapter instead of being spread across a couple.
• Although I think the open ending suits the book well, I feel like Matthew's return to the real world was wrapped up a bit too quickly and details were just glossed over for the sake of getting the book finished. I'd say I want a sequel but just from the writing, it feels like Clarke wanted this to just be a standalone book which I respect.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Confinement

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Gun violence

Minor: Vomit and Excrement

00phantom's review

dark mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warning Note:
If you struggle with existential, reality anxiety. Likely not a good book for you. Triggering for me.

Contains a depiction of something similar to DID or OSDD so also be wary of that.

Writing was amazing. The themes were cool. But just hit too close to home for me in some ways. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Confinement

Moderate: Excrement and Vomit

Minor: Child death

becca_w_'s review

adventurous emotional funny inspiring mysterious fast-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? N/A

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Confinement, Death, Toxic friendship, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Death, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Abandonment, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child death, Cursing, and Mental illness

sunflower7skull's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.5

Very interesting book. Very psychological with a very slow start, but I found it very intruiging as I continued, especially with the unreliable narrator aspect. I enjoyed the mystery, though I found it somewhat predictable at times. I honestly don't get the hype myself, but I can see why others would like it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Torture, Death, Abandonment, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Blood, Violence, and Cursing

Minor: Homophobia, Excrement, Mental illness, and Vomit

Warning for amnesia / character not in stable mindset at all!

danasaur's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Death

Moderate: Confinement, Trafficking, Torture, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Violence, Abandonment, Murder, Gun violence, and Blood

Minor: Excrement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Vomit