Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

42 reviews

banned_book's review

funny medium-paced

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

4.0

Not sure if I found the clownish character interactions funny on their own, or whether Christopher Lee's phenomenal voice acting made the story quality seem much better than it is. Either way, I enjoyed the immensely stupid plot. Always love a good and pathetic fictional man. If he's the clear loser in a nonsensical love triangle, even better.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

thesvnthsense's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Murder, and Torture

cursed10fold's review

adventurous dark mysterious sad 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Kidnapping

Moderate: Violence, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Minor: War

elislittlelibrary's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

3.0

It took me quite a while to finish this book. The writing isn't hard to understand, but I felt like the pacing and storytelling was quite different from what we are used to today, so I think that was just unusual, hence the time it took me to read. 
While I'm glad I read this, I honestly expected a little more from it, though I can't put my finger on exactly what I was missing. If you'd like to read a classic, I can recommend this though, I quite enjoyed it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Moderate: Torture, Toxic relationship, and Murder

siglerbooknook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

When I tell you I obsessed over this book in high school it is not in any way an exaggeration.
So of course, it was required reading now that I'm an adult to see if it was truly as good as I remembered.
My finding was rather complex. The over all plot was much more boring than I remembered, very slow, fully of miscommunication, and no real information until the very end. However, I caught many many details I didn't remember from earlier reads, including huge differences between the book and movies it inspired.
Over all I still enjoyed the story and this is one I'm glad to have in my collection to read again in future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Torture, Stalking, Self harm, and Murder

Minor: Grief, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Confinement, Classism, Death, and Body horror

hauntedantiqueshop's review

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.0

all could have been avoided if ableism wasn’t so prevalent 🙄 above all else, I am an Erik apologist. I love that problematic Angel of Music

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Ableism, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Death, Grief, and Stalking

countdraculahimself's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Torture

exclipse's review

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Gun violence

wuthrinheights's review

dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I've watched the musical years back, so I thought I would know how the story would go but the more I read, the more I realised how different they were. The book is much, much better than the play (although the music score was also brilliant).

I was pleasantly surprised to learn how fast paced the book was, and it was captivating from the start. It only took me more or less 6 hours to read it, and by the last 100 pages or so, I had the musical soundtracks to accompany me. 

It was spooky, intoxicating, yet somehow humorous at times. Occasionally I would find myself to snicker or giggle at what the character said or did. I did not have a favourite character exactly, but I enjoyed reading the storyline; it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Love was a huge theme of the book. In the end, people just want to be loved.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Abandonment, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Sexual harassment

caidyn's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

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

4.0

I'm not sure why this says it's the first time I've read this book because it's not. But I liked this better than I remembered!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Toxic relationship