Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Tu by Caroline Kepnes

55 reviews

marisabenn's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

5.0

OH MY GOOOOOOSH THIS BOOK!!

This is by far the creepiest book I have ever read. Being inside of Joe's head is amazing and disturbing. You get to experience how screwed up he is, but from his perspective it's everyone else that's messed up.

Beck was just awful. I hated her and her friends so much. I never really felt sad when they died, but I was never rooting for them to be killed. Joe is definitely the bad guy here, no gray areas at all. 

I probably won't watch the show, and I don't think I'll continue with the series either. This was a good standalone and I like the way it ended. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Mental illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, and Drug use

kingsteph's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking and Sexual content

Moderate: Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Murder, Misogyny, Confinement, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Self harm

newkgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Joe Goldberg is the type of character that you love to hate and hate to love. His inner monologue takes you on a wild ride of absolute delusion, pretension, and a complete lack of self awareness.

And Joe is in love with Guinevere Beck, or rather the idea of her he’s created in his head while stalking her. 

Joe is a completely unreliable narrator as he takes us through his world, giving everyone but Beck the least amount of thought and consideration. No one but her is as deep or emotionally mature as him. No one is as well read as him and her, no one matters but her. 

When obstacles to their love pop up; a boyfriend here, a friend who wants her for herself there, and a therapist who becomes obsessed as well, Joe will do anything to “protect” Beck and keep them together. What’s a little murder in the name of love? 

“You are a monster, deathly, solipsistic to the bone and you’re blasphemous because all you want is You.” 

Caroline Kepnes’ ability to create a character such as Joe Goldberg is, to me, truly astounding and at the same time, quite unnerving. Caroline, are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Do you need help?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Death, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Gaslighting, and Misogyny

spookygemini's review against another edition

challenging dark tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Confinement, and Stalking

anmariefweeks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This will get in your head. Def only start it if you have a couple days to finish it (I have kids so it took me three), cause the pacing of it is very addictive and will replace your own cadence. I had yo finish it to get out! 
Fun read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Classism, Suicide, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

bookobsessedfamily's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I hadn’t heard of this book before seeing the series on Netflix. My husband and I started it, then I realized it was a book. I usually hate seeing the movie or show before reading the book. I decided to pick up the book so I could complete the series before Netflix does. 😉

If you like thrillers you will like this one. If you like books about serial killers, you will like this one.

This book is very different from typical thriller books though. Instead of being written from the perspective of the victim, it’s written from the perspective of the villian.

Joe works in a bookstore. One day Beck comes in to grab a couple books and Joe feels like there is an instant connection. But is there really?

Joe knows everything about Beck, but it’s so easy because Beck is such an open book. He will do anything to have her, but will his love for her go too far?

I should add there should be a trigger warning for stalking and captivity, but it’s also a thriller. This does include some mildly spicy 🌶 stuff. There is also a bit of foul language. I only add this because I know that some avoid books that have some of these things.

I really liked this book, I only gave it 4.5 stars because there were parts that I felt were so unrealistic that it took me out of the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Murder, and Confinement

Moderate: Kidnapping, Mental illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence

lord_morpheus's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Misogyny, Blood, Classism, Death, Sexual content, and Confinement

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

jessw17's review against another edition

dark tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Death, Bullying, and Classism

Minor: Cursing, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Alcohol, Car accident, Mental illness, and Torture

megselyane's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, Stalking, and Sexism

Moderate: Cursing, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Abandonment, Blood, Violence, Police brutality, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Domestic abuse

salm0n's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

4.0

Coming from someone who watched the show first, I prefer this original version of Joe. His inner dialogue made him come across as creepy and messed up instead of the show's obsessed jokester. The writing was also very good, the story was engaging, and I could easily and quickly get enveloped by the book's world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Murder, Mental illness, Confinement, Sexual violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Sexism and Self harm