Reviews tagging 'Child death'

A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

117 reviews

betherinahq's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

4.0

Enjoy isn’t really the right word but this book scratched the itch of a compelling, quick read that kept me guessing. 

I like Paula Hawkin’s style of writing and while there were a few things that perhaps don’t have quite the same impact as they did a few years ago (unreliable narrator, using another text/medium as a metaphor for what’s going on) it’s still expertly crafted. 

I like how with her books the characters and therefore suspects are introduced early and there’s potentially only, say 4 suspects. So when the killer is revealed it’s never a complete curveball and you’re not surprised but you’re also rewarded with it not being that obvious - hiding in plain sight usually! 

A good crime thriller that ticks the boxes and passes by a weekend! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Mental illness, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Murder

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Switching POVs between Irene, Miriam, Carla, Theo, and Laura! Also sometimes short chapters of an excerpt from Theo’s crime book, so I kind of liked the “book within a book” aspect. His book sort of reflects the main plot, in that we get switches between past and present and can’t rely on any one narrative over another.

A quick, easy read although predictable (I guessed two major plot twists within 50-60 pages). Some minor twists I didn’t see coming so that was nice at least to have some surprises!

I liked the slowly revealing of everyone’s secrets but didn’t particularly like any characters other than Irene. I did like the relationship between Irene and Laura also!

Good ending, it was wrapped up fairly neatly but with some open ended possibilities. I thought the pacing was also well done. I definitely enjoyed Girl on the Train more than this and I’m curious to read more from Hawkins! Apparently based on many other reviews, you either love GotT and hate this one or you love this one and hate GotT 😅

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child death, Grief, Violence, Death, Alcoholism, Murder, and Blood

Moderate: Abandonment, Fatphobia, Ableism, and Infertility

Minor: Incest, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Car accident

amelyn19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Murder

lizziemarie01's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Death, Blood, Child death, Animal cruelty, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual assault, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Torture, and Sexual violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, and Alcohol

hilhawk's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Incest

readbycarina's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Car accident, Sexual assault, Rape, and Death

Moderate: Child death and Blood

Minor: Grief

elizabethscott0's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Emotional abuse

hstbooks94's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder and Child death

Minor: Sexual assault and Incest

ritafontes's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Animal death, Child death, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism

ofpagesandparagraphs's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Medical content, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, and Car accident