Reviews tagging 'Grief'

A Guest in the House by E.M. Carroll

16 reviews

gen_wolfhailstorm'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? It's complicated

3.5

A thoroughly haunting and captivating story, that delivered peak eery atmosphere through the entity of the tale. I was genuinely frightened multiple times and had to stop reading, especially at night time.

The story was much more complex than I expected, but for the most part I think it carrier through it's themes and general plot exploration really well. Where it falls down for me was the ending; the plot twist was shocking and left me with so many questions, but then the ending just confused me. I didn't really understand what had happened. I feel like this is how I felt back in the day when I had read Carroll's Through the woods short story collection, but generally speaking, A guest in the house had a more satisfying layout.

Abby was a very non-assuming protagonist but her inner world was rich and whimsical. I loved the scenes of her imaginary knight and how she wanted to be in spirit, but it was interwoven with this dark and sinister entity and environment that I began to wonder if that was coming from Abby herself.

Carroll really had me second guessing characters and although I'm left perplexed by those last few pages, I enjoyed the beauty of the details of the art and the story overall.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Suicide, Body horror, Blood, Murder, and Grief

foxclcves's review

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Gore

Moderate: Dysphoria, Sexual content, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Self harm, Violence, Alcohol, and Gaslighting

moonmisandrist's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

As always Carroll's art is so beautiful and creepy. I love knights and dragons so of course I loved that the protagonist dreams of themself as a beautiful knight, slaying dragons and saving the princess (and the art in these dream sequences are breathtaking).  Unfortunately, the ending felt a bit too quick - though I can see the narrative purpose of it, I would have liked more time in the story so the ending had felt more impactful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Body horror

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent

catspajamas15's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Emily Carroll can do no wrong. Her art is unparalleled and hauntingly beautiful. Her story may not make sense to some, but you can still get lost in the illustrations and come to your own conclusions. I will always support this author. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Emotional abuse, Murder, Self harm, Grief, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, and Death of parent

violerwolf's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Gorgeous art style, gorgeous writing, absolutely do not understand the ending and I don’t think I ever will. And I think I have to be okay with that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Suicide, Sexual content, Murder, Gaslighting, and Death

lav's review

dark mysterious reflective

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Cancer, Pregnancy, and Suicide

jenmtnbike's review

challenging dark mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Grief

alisonannk's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Misogyny

tussenlettersin's review

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

I feel like Emily Carroll is well versed in writing these kinds of endings which are infuriatingly confusing. Infuriatingly, because they fit the feeling of estrangement, yearning and sad fear so damn well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Death, and Mental illness

theabee's review

dark tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Grief

Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, and Suicide