Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Good House by Tananarive Due

23 reviews

karenreadsbooks's review against another edition

4.0

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's rather lengthy, which in some ways is positive (it allows for full development of characters and plot) and some ways is negative (it felt like it was going to end in several places only for yet another terrible thing to happen to the point where I was just ready for it to end). Speaking of the ending, that's the part I wasn't completely satisfied with. I can see thematically why it might end the way it did, but it wasn't quite the way I wanted it to end (though I'm not entirely sure what that way might have been).

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Gun violence, Racism, Suicide, Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Blood

shay43geek's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Body horror, Murder, Death, Child death, and Suicide

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Blood, and Sexual content

awebofstories's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Excrement, Gore, Death of parent, Murder, Rape, Blood, Dementia, Animal cruelty, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Drug abuse, Animal death, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

adiajamille's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Suicide, Sexual assault, Child death, Death, Bullying, Gun violence, Racism, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Rape

stephanielee's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death, and Violence

ripxw's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Child death, and Racism

Moderate: Death and Sexual content

Minor: Rape

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Murder, Child death, Racism, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Animal death, Misogyny, Car accident, Dementia, Death of parent, Rape, Domestic abuse, Gore, Drug use, Hate crime, Medical content, and Sexism

Minor: Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Excrement, Ableism, Alcohol, Incest, Miscarriage, Slavery, and Vomit

Passing use of F and R slurs.

danimacuk's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Child death, Death, Grief, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Rape, Bullying, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Racism

Minor: Hate crime, Dementia, Drug use, Physical abuse, Vomit, and Alcohol

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Parts of this story really dragged or they really rushed. The ending was arguably the strongest part of the story and also the most enjoyably paced. Other parts felt like the supernatural element was breaking its own rules. The nastiness can infect anyone who leaves a piece of them in this specific location. But it only infected about five characters including one person who was nowhere near anyone else. That one person got more infected than anybody else and murdered someone tangentially connected to the main characters. Thankfully the dog either did not die or the death was not described, which is a rare mercy in horror fiction. The horses also did not experience any on-page tragedy. There are references to needing chicken blood and paper made from the vagina of an animal. 
There was a dark spot that I didn't appreciate reading. It was where a character faked, and later admitted to doing so, a sexual assault between themselves and an antagonist solely to get one of the main characters to act with violence. I just don't think "fake sexual assault" is a scene that is needed in literature published after the 1990's.
This story is somewhat effective in the 'gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss' nature of horror stories.

You spend most of the story wondering if the Big Bad got Corey and you find out in chapter 33 that Corey committed suicide to prevent the Big Bad from getting what they wanted. "With all his strength, Corey Toussaint Hill won his last fight.

Two sets of characters have whirlwind relationships that end, of course, tragically. It feels a bit cheap and scripted to do it twice in the story and I am a bit resentful of how one of the relationships is ended. The ending of that relationship is action-packed but very quick

Myles is watching over Angela while she does a ritual and tries to defend her against Tariq. Myles is shot once in the body and finished off with a gunshot to the head, presumably.

It was a cheap way to include a "strip the main character of all hope" moment. 
The last two chapters threw me for a loop at first.

The ending is Angela's ancestors giving her a miracle. It is not stated what the miracle is but the final chapters show Corey, Sean, and Angela breaking the curse and banishing the Big Bad. Then the party on July 4th proceeds as planned, with fireworks, dancing, and merriment. Angela decides that she no longer has feelings for Tariq and will proceed with the divorce. Angela and Myles promise to keep in touch. Therefore the miracle is making it so the violence from the Big Bad never happened.

It is a unique way to wrap up a story and one that can often feel very cheap. With this specific story it felt welcome. It almost felt like walking into your childhood home, but the one of your memories and not the actual building. These last two chapters were the most effective for me as a reader. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child death, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, and Gun violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, Car accident, Animal death, Sexual content, Drug use, Infidelity, and Bullying

boujeebookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-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

3.0

This book was long and drawn out for no reason. Then I get to end and it could’ve all never happened?! Omg I hate I wasted my time with this book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Bullying, and Pedophilia