Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

18 reviews

claire_not_rebecca's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This is one of the most empathetic crime stories I’ve ever read. It takes so much care with victims and their families and is genuinely very well written and intelligent. I found myself disengaged at some parts, partially, I think, because some of the characters felt distant to me, but it was overall pretty well done and very sweet. There are some serious TWs in this one, though, so please take care of yourself!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

mereas's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The beginning caught me off guard, but it was an insanely smart way to hook a reader in, no matter how hard the scene was to process. Sebold writes with a sharp yet delicate hand. Her book calls attention to the harsh reality, beauty, and mystery of life - and death. The blurs and in-betweens of Heaven and Earth can be closer to us than we know or accept. Every place on Earth has its own bones to bury, but still, we move forward whether by choice or not. 

The characters were all grey, heartbreaking, and realistic in their own way as they learned to process a young girl's murder. Sebold kept me on my toes as I yearned to see the murderer caught. However, the most satisfying part was seeing everyone heal on their own manners. I hated some their actions, but I could never find myself hating them for their overall individualism (besides the murderer). Ruth was my favorite. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder

Minor: Animal cruelty, Gore, Torture, Blood, Stalking

david07's review against another edition

2.0

dark sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Murder

gordosaurusrex's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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: No

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A beautiful, heartfelt book. A mix of murder mystery and relationship drama. The characters are super well written with flaws and some real development that makes them feel like real people, and the descriptions of where Susie spends the book are excellent. Emotional and intriguing.

the section where Susie enters Ruth's body towards the end and makes love to Ray was a bit weird, and although I'm sure Ruth was alright with this arrangement it didn't stop me feeling a little icky as Susie used Ruth's body for her own wants, and she is technically still a little girl. This is the reason I didn't award 5 stars, but didn't take away from how impactful I felt the books was

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence

Minor: Gore

agosto111's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I love this book so much!! WARNING RAPE AND A LOT OF REALLY TRAUMATIZING THINGS. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder

This is an amazing book but please be careful this book is really triggering and sad so read with caution

scarlett_librarian's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Full of triggers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Pregnancy

May be triggers for some: rape, sexual assault, murder.

coolfoolmoon's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The only part I didn't like so much

was her coming back to life to have sex. Like I get it I don't wanna die a virgin either but there's more life to live other than sex!

I loved everything else though. No complaints!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Dementia

nadijya's review against another edition

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Toooo slow and the book could've been shorter

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

pumpkinmasterug's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Not the best novel I’ve read, but definitely not the worst. It presents grief through a range of perspectives and is definitely dark and uncomfortable at several points. I enjoyed majority of the book, however

the possession scene spoiled the tone of it all for me, especially since the argument for Susie sleeping with her crush instead of tracking down her killer is her reclaiming what was taken from her during her murder, but after she hopes her father dies to be in heaven with her TWICE she let’s her family suffer in grief when she could’ve caught her killer or unveiled the location of her body and helped them. Of course that would’ve been very cliche so I understand why Seabold avoided this, but it just made Susie come across very selfish and quite unlikeable.

It’s a bit corny in some places and I don’t think the writing style will suit everyone, and some of the characters are so flat and predictable they read more like AI trying to blend in than actual human beings, but I honestly didn’t mind that too much in this case. Overall though, it’s a good read with a hopeful message and I did enjoy it for the most part.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Mental illness, Death of parent, Alcohol

deshanejt's review against another edition

2.5

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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The premise was dark, heartbreaking and sweet; The reality was, almost halfway thru the book, the plot seemed lost to me.

Painstakingly, you watch the family struggle to accept their grief while a community never stops moving forward. 

I guess the message the author wanted to leave us with would be life goes on. Remembering those you've lost along the way doesn't have to be painful... Lastly, it's a stark reminder, that justice isn't always served, but monsters still meet their end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol