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gbrad's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.5
Wow, I really enjoyed this book. The style of writing flowed so well throughout, I never felt it was dull or slow moving. It kept me engaged and needing to know more, thinking about it when I couldn't read it. I enjoyed the many layers to the plot, some of which I did not predict.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Stalking, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Suicide attempt
caitlincassidy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Homophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
fvaladez's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
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
2.0
This book is NOT a horror book. This is NOT about ghosts or someone lurking in the walls. It pushes the narrative that way for a while, but it becomes a domestic abuse story. It seems like the story was written in two halves and the author just have up on the ghosts/horror aspect and decided to go with domestic abuse. It wasn't written terribly, but it wasn't written particularly well either.
The repeating of certain feelings and statements falls into the category of redundancy. It's almost like the author was trying to figure out more ways to say the same thing over and over again, when it doesn't add to the story in a meaningful way. After the 3rd time, for multiple characters, of repeating themselves, I felt like I could've skipped whole paragraphs and still be fine.
There is no meaningful character growth, for good or evil. Some stuff is pretty obvious where it's heading and who's doing what. There were some parts that were giving me hope, but it reverted back to flat tropes and generic writing.
Some characters feel like they were created to simply fit a trope and were lacking substance to really make them meaningful. And some parts that were harped on so much were never fully explored, like the whole "what's behind the paint and wallpaper" thing. We don't visit what's in the old holes in the wall, we don't see what was Patrick doing in the cellar, and a number of other things. This had me feeling like I wasn't getting all the necessary information and that these things were thrown in almost as an afterthought.
Speaking of tropes, damn near every trope is in here and they fall flat. Nothing worthwhile about it.
!!!!!!Trigger Warning!!!!!!!
There is a scene with rape that did not do anything for the story, and feels like it was utilized to simply top the previous bad thing that was done. The entire scene leading up to it makes no sense for it to happen. It's just there to be shocking. The following scene, the characters carry on a conversation almost as if nothing happens, after a brief apology session.
Unfortunately, I would not recommend this book.
The repeating of certain feelings and statements falls into the category of redundancy. It's almost like the author was trying to figure out more ways to say the same thing over and over again, when it doesn't add to the story in a meaningful way. After the 3rd time, for multiple characters, of repeating themselves, I felt like I could've skipped whole paragraphs and still be fine.
There is no meaningful character growth, for good or evil. Some stuff is pretty obvious where it's heading and who's doing what. There were some parts that were giving me hope, but it reverted back to flat tropes and generic writing.
Some characters feel like they were created to simply fit a trope and were lacking substance to really make them meaningful. And some parts that were harped on so much were never fully explored, like the whole "what's behind the paint and wallpaper" thing. We don't visit what's in the old holes in the wall, we don't see what was Patrick doing in the cellar, and a number of other things. This had me feeling like I wasn't getting all the necessary information and that these things were thrown in almost as an afterthought.
Speaking of tropes, damn near every trope is in here and they fall flat. Nothing worthwhile about it.
!!!!!!Trigger Warning!!!!!!!
Unfortunately, I would not recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, and Toxic relationship
wherethewildreadsare's review against another edition
dark
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? No
2.0
If you’re into husband gaslighting, unreliable character being forced to medicate herself & a relatively obvious plot, then this is for you.
I should’ve DNF’d it. But kept wanting to see how it would. Should’ve DNF’d it.
I should’ve DNF’d it. But kept wanting to see how it would. Should’ve DNF’d it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death, and Addiction
phantasmaboo's review against another edition
dark
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
2.0
The Woman in the Dark by Vanessa Savage tells the tale of Laura, a stay at home mother of two children, who uses her mother's money to buy her husband the house of his dreams. After they move into the house, their family begins to fall apart even more than before. It is clear that her husband is hiding dark secrets and that he is not being completely honest about his past.
I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. Starting off, the plot heavily relies on domestic abuse tropes to help move it forward rather than creating a compelling story of a family in crisis. The plot moves from trope to trope lazily, which causes the story to quickly lose its momentum to the point of boredom. To yank the reader out of this boredom, some large event happens to further traumatize the characters. Thus, the plot is simply one catastrophe after the other as the characters simply live in the house.
I didn't find the plot haunting or thrilling. It was, at times, shocking, but only because the author chose to put in some event that is bound to shock the mind of any reader. For example, a graphic rape scene. None of these events seem to connect to each other, as the author leaves no breadcrumbs for readers to pick up on. Instead, she tells you everything and then adds in shock value. To be honest, I called the ending in the first 10% of the book, but continued listening, hoping I was wrong.
This brings me to the characters. They are very two dimensional to put it plainly and all of them are stereotypical of the role that they play. We have Sarah, the loving but abused mother. The whiney teenage daughter. The son who self-harms. The husband, the abuser. But none of these characters are defined by anything other than what I have listed above, not because they cannot, but because the author chooses not to. It's a story that readers will have seen time and time again, playing out with the same cast of characters. There is simply no depth to anyone in this story. They are simply playthings akin to dolls.
Overall, I give this book 2 stars. It's not the worst, but it is incredibly predictable and without depth or dimension.
I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. Starting off, the plot heavily relies on domestic abuse tropes to help move it forward rather than creating a compelling story of a family in crisis. The plot moves from trope to trope lazily, which causes the story to quickly lose its momentum to the point of boredom. To yank the reader out of this boredom, some large event happens to further traumatize the characters. Thus, the plot is simply one catastrophe after the other as the characters simply live in the house.
I didn't find the plot haunting or thrilling. It was, at times, shocking, but only because the author chose to put in some event that is bound to shock the mind of any reader. For example, a graphic rape scene. None of these events seem to connect to each other, as the author leaves no breadcrumbs for readers to pick up on. Instead, she tells you everything and then adds in shock value. To be honest, I called the ending in the first 10% of the book, but continued listening, hoping I was wrong.
This brings me to the characters. They are very two dimensional to put it plainly and all of them are stereotypical of the role that they play.
Overall, I give this book 2 stars. It's not the worst, but it is incredibly predictable and without depth or dimension.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicide, Rape, Domestic abuse, Murder, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
reading_binosaur's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.0
The first half I have to give a 2 ⭐ rating, lost my interest a couple times but I felt a need to keep going.
The second half I give a 4⭐ rating because it got really intense really quickly and tied some loose strings from the beginning.
The second half I give a 4⭐ rating because it got really intense really quickly and tied some loose strings from the beginning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, Car accident, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Rape
sarahna's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Drug abuse, Self harm, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
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