Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

La chica del tren by Paula Hawkins

43 reviews

aisclaradm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

A really good thriller that had me trying to piece information together right from the very beginning. It was so fun to read a book with such unreliable narrators, because it allowed you to come up with so many different theories. Ultimately, everything tied up really well and I found the plotline and reveals made a lot of sense. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Violence, Infertility, Murder, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Blood, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Abortion, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Stalking, Grief, and Sexual assault

Minor: Drug abuse, Abortion, Toxic friendship, Car accident, and Drug use

mynameisrebecca's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book is written in a 3 character split narration style, though the characters are intentionally very similar. It creates a murky, unreliable read that can be hard to follow and somewhat repetitive. It has twists and shocking moments, though overall the character motives are weak so the book doesn't feel satisfying.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Alcoholism, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexism, Abortion, and Sexual violence

chamaeleontis'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Addiction, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Stalking, Alcohol, Drug use, Infertility, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

grapefruit_jazzie's review against another edition

mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Vomit, Violence, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Minor: Vomit, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy, Stalking, and Violence

nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Infertility, Alcohol, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Vomit, Death of parent, and Violence

jakegreyxx's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The character perspectives in this book were quite well written and really allowed the reader to sink into the story and understand the character's thoughts and feel what they do.
One of the "big reveal" moments was easy to pick up on early on, for the reader, but I believe this was done on purpose as a way of making sure everyone knew BUT the main character.
There were little clues and details throughout the book that come back later or connect at different points, and I found this quite clever. This is a feature I often love in books.
I had suspicions about the MAIN “big reveal” about halfway through the book, but they were small. It was given away with just over 100 pages remaining and gave that last chunk a bit of extra intensity as we follow along, waiting to see if they figure it out.

I did find an issue with the way the main character was repeatedly referred to as “fat and ugly”. This was entirely unnecessary. It used these terms to make that character seem gross, unlikable, unattractive, and like a bad person. These terms were always used with a heavily negative backing, as well as using her depression in a similar way at times. On several occasions, it made out that she was less of a person, or that she was unappealing, for these things. It served no purpose to the book or the plot, it was just there to be cruel. These things could have been removed entirely and it would have still been the same book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Stalking, Sexual content, Child death, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Infertility

tays_books's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Addiction, Violence, Alcoholism, Murder, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Body shaming, Cursing, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Stalking, and Child death

Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, Excrement, Sexual content, and Vomit

amdeigloria's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Cursing

Moderate: Sexual content

asheichstadt's review against another edition

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Addiction, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail

lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I have had this book on my radar for years, but I was hesitant to pick it up because I was not a fan of "Into the Water". However, I did find a copy of this book at a library book sale and decided I needed to give Paula Hawkins another chance, and boy am I happy that I did. 
"The Girl on the Train" follows Rachel, a woman who is struggling to cope with her tumultuous life. Every day she rides on a commuter train, and she passes the same homes and people. One day, her life is once again upended when she witnesses something concerning. Rachel quickly finds herself roped into a dangerous world that will force her to come to terms with her own dark reality. 
This was a perfect spooky season book. Rachel is a flawed character and a potentially unreliable narrator, but it makes her so relatable, and you cannot help but root for her. The setting of this story is also highly noteworthy. The story takes place in pretty much the same small neighborhood, but the descriptions are so vivid and as the reader, you are pulled into this incredibly atmospheric place. I really loved seeing the mystery come together, and I was left shocked by the end of all of the reveals. 
I am immensely glad that I gave Paula Hawkins another chance, and I look forward to seeing more from her in the future. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Addiction, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Blood, Infertility, Murder, Child death, Death, Sexual content, Stalking, Grief, and Miscarriage