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woodsybookworm's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-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
2.0
🪢Where I End🪢
"After the freedom of sleep, I am once more confined to my life"
I was warned this would be unsettling, nonetheless I read on.
Where I End follows Aoileann, a young woman who assists her paternal grandmother in caring for Aoileann's invalid mother - whom she has nicknamed the 'bed-thing'. Aoileann has completely disassociated herself from her mother's condition and turned her into an object or as she says, 'a relic of a human', 'a nuisance', 'a chore'.
When a young artist in residence named Rachel arrives with her newborn child, Aoileann finds herself infatuated. Aoileann begins stalking Rachel, sneaking into her house at night, dreaming of a life with her - without the bed-thing and the baby to hold them back. Her desire for human connection, lacking in her own family, has created a monster within herself that even the townspeople fear.
Sophie White made the mundane aspects of everyday life, of caring for a family member who cannot care for themselves, into an absolutely unnerving nightmare.
Even considering all this, the book was a slow read for me and there were a few points I almost DNFed due to boredom and frustration. While I will not be getting the imagery of this book out of my head, I still didn't find it an enjoyable enough read to come back to or possibly even recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Self harm, Chronic illness, Excrement, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Stalking
blurjay's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
This is a brutal and cruel story of love, motherhood, and belonging, but oh so mesmerizing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Self harm, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Minor: Child death, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Suicide attempt, and Rape
bpetrovcic's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Child abuse, Murder, Emotional abuse, Self harm, and Violence
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