Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

240 reviews

jennyfluence's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.75

definitely a book i would recommend to everyone in the right state of mind. so dark and twisted, unexpected conclusion.
the beginning is definitely slower, setting the scene and such, but once you get into it, oh my god couldn't let go of the book. the writing style is amazing, the comparisons with her self-harm scars. just wow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Rape, Animal cruelty, Grief, Animal death, Addiction, Drug use, Mental illness, Violence, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Sexual violence

miggyfool's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexism, Vomit, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Confinement, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Murder, Torture, Sexual assault, Medical content, Alcoholism, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical trauma, Grief, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Child death, and Physical abuse

nerwenie's review against another edition

dark sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, Child abuse, Child death, Bullying, Violence, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail

mariaisabelad's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.5

I had trouble getting into Sharp Objects. For the first 50-70 pages, I found Camille deeply unpleasant and I struggled to get invested in the story due to the time it takes for the story to reveal itself. I put it down for a couple months and was debating abandoning it entirely until I began watching the HBO adaptation.

Watching the world of Sharp Object be brought to light encouraged me to revisit the story and reminded me of the elements I was enjoying prior to putting the novel down. Once I got back into it knowing what kind of tone and pace to expect, I was able to stay on-board until the end. I would recommend anyone who reads the book checks trigger warnings and goes in understanding that it will be a slow burn thriller with a set of characters that are often unlikable or cold and hard to decipher.

I don't dislike this character direction for Gillian Flynn. In some ways, I find Camille to be an interesting exploration of the damaged/nihilistic detective archetype in many crime novels and films. Her darkness and abrasive personality plays directly into themes in the story that make it crucial to events and how they unfold. She's unwilling to let you in, even as you're experiencing the world through her eyes. I also loved the characterization of Wind Gap as a town. There are so many painstaking details woven into the setting that make it feel lived in and sell the horror of later events effectively.

I have issues with the third act post-climax due to mostly to how fast the story ends after a big reveal, but I overall recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Self harm, Child abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Moderate: Bullying and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual assault and Rape

candace_marko's review against another edition

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Violence, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Death, Chronic illness, Child death, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Grief

stilestastic's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Vomit, Terminal illness, Mental illness, Murder, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Child death, Blood, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Medical content

Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, Body horror, Sexual content, Violence, Dysphoria, and Gore

Minor: Eating disorder, Abandonment, Torture, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, Cancer, and Addiction

geck_h8's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

I got into the characters after so much trauma and chaos but toward the end it seemed to unravel and the ending was predictable and quick compared to the great build of the story

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Self harm, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Sexual content, Mental illness, Bullying, Drug use, Child death, Murder, Violence, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcohol, Addiction, Animal cruelty, and Bullying

radicaldadicall's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

So uncomfortable. So amazing! I was in a constant state of unease and extreme interest! I couldn't stop reading! She has such a way with spinning a story that you honestly don't want to read because it makes you so uncomfortable but can't stop! How can people be so messed up?!? It's such an interesting story and I have no idea how she came up with this and write it in such a creepy way yet compelling way. There was not a single likable character in this story and I loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Alcoholism, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Child death, Murder, and Sexism

Minor: Animal cruelty

caththereader's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

2.5

This is a book I would never have read if it wasn’t my book club choice for the month.

I didn’t like any of the characters, I guessed the murderer within the first chapter and just felt wildly uncomfortable throughout.

If you struggle with self harm or anything of that nature there are vivid descriptions of the main character doing this to herself, so I would give this book a wide berth.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Violence, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Self harm, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

louriot28's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Eating disorder