Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

127 reviews

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Confinement, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Mental illness, Death, and Gun violence

Minor: Murder and Cursing

aristarcodisamo's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping

Minor: Vomit, Addiction, Cursing, Excrement, and Mental illness

rubyredders's review

mysterious reflective 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

2.25

,I get why this is a highly rated book but it is just not for me. 

I felt very distant from the characters, short of a general feeling of

Ketterley is a massive cunt I would like to see get his comeuppance and a feeling of sympathy for Piranesi for being so blindly optimistic.

 

Despite the shortness of the story it felt like it really dragged to me. It took until after the first 50% before I felt anything other than god I hope this speeds up soon. 

The world sounded interesting but I just couldn't engage with it and found the mapping of the place difficult (although I think that was kind of the point, it was still somewhat frustrating) 

The ending left me more confused as to if I was supposed to feel some grand awe inspiring emotion or not - that was it? Huh, ok then.

The references to other media and locations were neat though when noticed, such as the allusion to C.S.Lewis' Mr Tumnus speaking to Lucy under the lamppost early on in the first half. 
 
I think this is one of those books you'll either really enjoy or will struggle to connect to and for me it was the latter. 

The slow start and unsatisfying ending is what ultimately has me giving this such a low rating though I can see how this would be a compelling story for others if you can really sink yourself into the mystery of the world early on, as Piranesi has such an optimistic view of the world and joyful nature that you want to see him achieve a happy ending

(the lack of which is part of the reason why I think the ending feels so unsatisfying)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Death, and Abandonment

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

monsty's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death, Murder, Gun violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Murder

iaraya's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Confinement

Moderate: Gun violence and Death

toffishay's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book pulled me in and didn't let me go! I haven't stayed up late to read a book in quite a while, and the fact that I did in this case is really telling. I was intrigued by the House and the questions surrounding it and Piranesi's time there. There is a lot of existential joy and atmospheric beauty to behold in these pages, mixed with mystery and intrigue, and the danger inherent in the belief that you are smarter than everyone else or that you are above the World that holds us all. I think that the book drags a little bit when some revelations are made and then the ending wraps things up in a pleasant, but not amazing way given how interesting most of the book is. it's hard to describe: I wasn't disappointed by the ending, but I was surprised. I went into this book knowing next to nothing about the plot and I was pleasantly surprised in many ways. I'll be thinking about this one for weeks to come.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping

Moderate: Death, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting

Minor: Violence, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Excrement, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

balina_elah's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, and Confinement

Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death

kathleendayle's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and Confinement

Moderate: Dementia and Gaslighting

Minor: Gun violence and Death