Reviews tagging 'Grief'

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

13 reviews

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

För 30 år sedan sattes den då 15-årige Vincent King i fängelse för att ha kört ihjäl en flicka. Nu är han frisläppt och återvänder till sin hemstad Cape Haven i Kalifornien. Hur kommer han att tas emot av Star Radley, sin ex-flickvän, vars lillasyster han dödade? Och av Walk, hans bästa vän och numera polischef, men även den som satte dit honom för 30 år sen? Duchess Day Radley, Stars 13-åriga dotter, försöker skydda både sin mamma och sin 5-årige lillebror Robin, men i och med det drar hon igång en kedja av händelser som får ödesdigra konsekvenser. 

Den här boken har jag velat läsa sedan den gavs ut och jag såg författaren på Babel. Nu blev det äntligen av då vi ska diskutera den i min ena bokcirkel. Jag får erkänna att det tog ett tag innan jag fastnade och jag hade även problem med att skilja på vissa karaktärer, men det brukar vara ganska vanligt för mig när jag lyssnar och inte ser namnen i text. Man kan väl säga att det är mer än ett par tragiska liv vi får ta del av i "Slutet blir vår början". Det är lätt att känna med karaktärerna och särskilt Duchess och Vincent hittade en väg till mitt hjärta. 

Vi har inte träffats i bokcirkeln än, men jag tycker nog att den här boken har en bra grund för diskussioner. Till exempel föräldraskap, förlåtelse, fosterhem och hur långt man är beredd att gå för att skydda sin familj. Om man, som jag, gillade "Där kräftorna sjunger" och "Under magnoliaträden" så tror jag att man även kommer att uppskatta "Slutet blir vår början".

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Murder, Death, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Stalking, Suicide, Child death, and Car accident

nadia_luq's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Fire/Fire injury

katwicklund's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-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

Minor: Drug abuse, Grief, Murder, Self harm, Violence, Addiction, Death, and Death of parent

emmaevns's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Death, Grief, Chronic illness, Suicide, and Gun violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Drug abuse

shanekate's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

This book redeems the murder mystery genre for me. It was heart wrenching, beautiful, and utterly engrossing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Child abuse, Suicide, Gun violence, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Self harm, and Stalking

Moderate: Sexual violence, Blood, Trafficking, Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Racism, Sexual assault, and Vomit

Not recommended to people who went through trauma related to foster care. Sexual violence is referenced several times but does not occur.

mamaofperfectpayton's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gun violence, Grief, Suicide, Murder, and Blood

jess_d84's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Cursing, Death of parent, Murder, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Suicide, Addiction, and Death

Minor: Terminal illness

danidamico's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.0

Me resulta difícil puntuar esta novela. En primer lugar, no soy una lectora asidua de policiales o thrillers, suelo leer uno o dos por año. Los libros de suspenso que leo en general se inclinan más hacia el terror. Seguramente si me gustaran más los policiales, sería fácil ponerle 4 estrellas o más a We Begin at the End, pero la realidad es que, si bien reconozco su valor objetivo, personalmente no conecté tanto con la historia como otros lectores. 

El relato está bien construido, el misterio bien desarrollado, la prosa me pareció buena, aunque un poco melodramática (algo normal en este género). No tengo nada negativo para decir sobre este libro en cuanto a los aspectos técnicos, a veces simplemente sucede que una obra nos conmueve más o nos conmueve menos, te impacta o no te impacta. A la hora de leer textos para la facultad intento ser racional, analizar los detalles, pero como lectora en mi tiempo libre me dejo llevar muchísimo por lo emocional y lo instintivo. Me gustó esta novela. Listo. Eso es todo lo que puedo decir. Está bien hecha y es recomendable para gente que disfrute del género. 

A medida que iba leyendo, me imaginaba una adaptación cinematográfica dirigida por Sean Penn o Clint Eastwood porque la novela me dio muchas vibes de historia clásica norteamericana de drama Hollywoodense. De hecho, me sorprendió mucho descubrir que el autor es británico. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Suicide

wistfulspirit's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence

sara_phoenix's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Cape Haven is a sleepy costal California town where everyone knows everyone. Tragedy struck 30 years ago with the death of 7 year-old Sissy, and when the felon, Vincent King, is released from prison, old wounds open. Chief of Police Walk knows the pain firsthand as he was the one who sent his best friend to prison all those years ago. But when Sissy’s troubled sister, Star, is murdered and leaves behind her two children, thirteen year-old daughter, Duchess, and her six year-old son, Robin, Walk must face the past head on to catch a killer and protect Star’s children. Part drama and part crime/thriller, Whitaker’s third novel reads as if he’s done this many, many times before. The characters are flawed but so well-developed, especially self-proclaimed outlaw Duchess, and I couldn’t help but root for each of them throughout the book. This hauntingly beautiful story reads like a modern day Shawshank Redemption - where do you go when things keep falling apart? How do you face yet another loss? In this book the characters work through the process of growth and of letting go; of grief and of healing; of beginning at the end. This is a book that will stick with you long after you finish reading. I can’t wait to see what Whitaker comes up with next. Brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, and Mental illness