Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

62 reviews

riella_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.75

 This was good, but slightly underwhelming. I loved the premise but I also guessed a huge twist from the beginning, and another twist a significant amount of time before the reveal. I still enjoyed my time with it overall but I wish I didn't see the reveals coming so I could enjoy it more! I do think this is a perfect read for Halloween, as it takes place all on the night before halloween. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, Cancer, Car accident, Drug use, Bullying, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Alcohol, Blood, and Gun violence

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-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

4.25

The narration style of this book was quite unique. It felt more like sitting at a table with Daisy over tea and listening as she recollected memories, while everyone else bustles about. There are a few twists in here I was not expecting AT ALL. And while it took me a bit to warm up to this book, by the end I was invested

and devastated.

This is the second book I read and loved by Alice Feeney and I’ll definitely be reading more by this author in the future.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, Grief, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Medical content, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Child death, and Blood

mysterymom40's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Addiction, and Gore

Minor: Infidelity

achay91's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Death, and Murder

Minor: Body shaming, Suicide, and Infidelity

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

It was a dark and stormy night… okay, but really—it was a dark and stormy night on an isolated island off the coast of Cornwall, where an estranged family has gathered for Nana Darker’s 80th birthday. Albeit awkward considering their weird family dynamic, a tense celebration of sorts ensues until Nana turns up dead at the stroke of midnight. One by one, the family members disappear accompanied by cryptic, poetic messages, but whodunit?? 

I can’t say too much without giving the whole story away, but this was a fun murder mystery! For sure a more modern take on Agatha Christie mysteries with a little “Knives Out” action. It also reminded me, at times, of “The Prestige” and “Shutter Island”. 

I will say that I guessed the final twists fairly early on, but still felt the satisfying shock when they were unveiled, as some pieces I definitely had not put together. 

The writing style was great, though I did find the book a little too long, and some of the flashbacks stunted the flow of the story a tad. Also, don’t go into this one expecting to like any of the characters—some I rather loathed, which was part of the point of course. 

Overall, a very on-brand read for Halloween season!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Suicide, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Abandonment, Child death, Chronic illness, Gore, Alcohol, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Death, Medical content, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Vomit, Sexual content, Animal death, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, and Cursing

sabrinames's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Emotional abuse

kris386's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Murder, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, and Car accident

Moderate: Medical content, Blood, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Body shaming, and Infidelity

mortiffa's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.25

Where to begin...

First off, I love the premise of this novel. I love a mystery, I love the spooky setting, I am familiar with the author's work... I was ready for a good time.

And that's what I got, mostly. I had an excellent time following this dysfunctional family's last few days... I was intrigued by the mystery, and enjoyed Feeney's writing style.

What I will say, is I think this novel falls into the trap a lot of books - specifically mystery thrillers - fall into. The first 20% or so is mainly set up and character introduction. It's not extremely interesting and can be a chore to get through. Once the actual story begins, however, I found myself entertained for a majority of the book.

Without divulging any spoilers, I cannot say I was entirely thrilled with the reveal. I would not necessarily say it is predictable, but it didn't really work for me. I'm not upset about it, but I do wish the ending didn't feel so... trope-y, for lack of a better word.

All in all, though, I think this is an excellent spooky season read (although, for me, spooky season is eternal). It's fast to get through once you get past the exposition, and I mostly enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the audiobook.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Pedophilia

amandaglowgetter's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, and Bullying

Minor: Fatphobia and Body shaming

kimveach's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

3.0

This book took a long time to get to the big reveal.  While I liked the ending, I thought about quitting this book many times, which isn't good.  I much preferred the author's "Rock Paper Scissors."

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Pregnancy and Sexual content

Minor: Animal death