Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

A fúria by Alex Michaelides

45 reviews

schmanderpants's review against another edition

mysterious 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Classism

abbyweber's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

I think this book would have been better if it weren’t written in 2nd person. The narrator came across as pretentious and annoying. Over all, it was boring, even though it started to get better around page 225… it was only a 300 page book. The pacing was slow and the story was all over the place. I get that was kind of the point, but it ended up being confusing. I didn’t really end up caring about any of the characters or who died. There were a few twists that were entertaining, but again, they would have been more successful if the writing was either 1st or 3rd POV. I enjoyed the little Easter Egg for The Silent Patient in the epilogue though.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Bullying

depmythmoon's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

 “The real tragedy, of course, by always looking outward, by focusing so intently on the other persons experience, we lose touch with our own. It’s as if we live out entire life pretending to be ourselves, as imposters impersonating ourselves, rather than feeling this is really me, this is who I am.” (pg. 60)

This book started off pretty slow in my opinion, and I didn’t get invested until around page 50-60. During this time, I was questioning whether I was going to enjoy this book and what the point of all the exposition was, but the thriller aspect started to kick up eventually.

I was also able to understand why the beginning may have started as it did. Despite the narrator mentioning that starting a book with the weather is never the right move, I can see how it serves this book well. The island that the group of characters goes to is known for having terrible storms known as “The Fury,” which, coincidentally, is the namesake of the book. With the storm in mind, I see the boring exposition as the calm before it. Mixed with our unreliable narrator, who slowly begins to open up to the reader as the acts progress, the reader is being allowed a moment of stillness before the real twists start to pop up. I can appreciate it now, but forcing myself to power through at first was tough. It’s partially why I still can’t give it 5 stars no matter how I can appreciate it.

I will say, it did teach me to give a book at least 50 pages before considering a possible DNF. I’m glad I finished it, and the annotation process was enjoyable.

This book seems to have a theme that centers heavily on childhood trauma and how we carry that pain or that child with us as we go through life. The author claims that people who have gone through trauma at that age become the people they needed at that time as they age. There were many moments in the book where I could relate to some of the characters’ backstories. It reminds me of just how much I hate bullying and is a very dramatized telling of the lengths a person would go to protect themselves from their pasts. Being able to relate to something like that added an extra layer of complication that I always enjoy. Give me that wonderful mental challenge of morality, and I eat it up every time.

It was nice to see how the retelling of the events while they were on the island slowly became more clear as the narrator opens up. You are able to see how certain details didn’t quite add up or what changed from one telling to the next. The twist in this story is satisfying, and I like that subtle hints are sprinkled throughout that allow you to gradually piece things together.

I also liked the use of 2nd person throughout the book. It’s one of the least common to see when reading, and I think the author implemented it successfully. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, and Bullying

Moderate: Mental illness, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Suicide, and Incest

whitneymouse's review against another edition

mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

This is a really difficult book to review or recommend for others. I don't know who specifically this is for. I found the book entertaining but I'm struggling to parse out how I *feel* about the book, having read it, which doesn't happen often. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, and Stalking

Minor: Child abuse

cnlarge's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gun violence, and Alcoholism

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was a long, slow tease, but it worked for me.  I liked the twists and turns, misdirection, and unreliable narrator.  If you like this author's style, I think you'll like this book as much as I did.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Classism, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Murder, Abandonment, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Medical content, Medical trauma, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Grief, Gore, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

leebeeloves's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Mental illness, Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism

Minor: Blood and Domestic abuse

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

4.25

    It's a thriller based very loosely on Lana Taylor's murder. (Or that's my guess)
   There were many twists and turns, but I figured out some partway through. I knew it would some way tie back to the other books. As they all tie back to each other.
   

I would have liked to know what he meant by, if you read this I'm dead part. Maybe I just don't remember from the other books.

     None of the characters were particularly likable which did make it harder to enjoy. Though it was well written. It was very atmospheric. I also would have liked someone else's POV besides Elliot, since he was a highly unreliable narrator.

Narrator Rating: 4.5 stars
   The narrator did an excellent job. Though he was a bit easy to zone out to.

Extra ratings: Fluff-NA   Heartfelt-3/5   Helpful-NA    Horror-NA   Inspiration-NA   Love aka Romance-0.5/5  Mystery-3/5    Predictability-1.5/5  Spice-0/5   Suspense-3/5   Tear- 1.5/5  Thrill-3.5/5   Humor-0/5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Alcohol, Abandonment, Toxic friendship, Death, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Infidelity, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Bullying, Drug use, and Mental illness

Moderate: Murder, Addiction, Cursing, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Animal death, and Violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

tspice24's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Child abuse

kelshenka's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.0

Challenging characters (plus unreliable narrator) ricochet off one another, unraveling the story like the threads of a scarf tugged loose by cold fingers of wind. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder, Misogyny, Bullying, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Cursing, and Toxic friendship