Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

185 reviews

jabnole1's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.0

Not the best. Will probably still listen to The Family Remains. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Rape, and Murder

mar253's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Murder

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Homophobia

amber_bookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I found the plot of this book a little slow to start with, but it soon speeds up and I found all the twists and turns very engaging. I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing style and although I got used to it, it's stopped me rating it higher than 4*.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death

vexpress'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? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Rape, Animal death, Murder, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Infidelity, Abandonment, Violence, and Cursing

anissawren's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, Murder, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Torture, Drug use, and Death

Moderate: Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, and Pregnancy

drstauffer918's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Drug use, Rape, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Murder

ycboots's review against another edition

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, and Child abuse

Moderate: Miscarriage and Drug use

mynameisrebecca's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide attempt, Homophobia, and Suicide

ksmo's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-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

3.5

I enjoyed most of this book, but the last part really threw me off. I'm not sure how we went from finding out the extent of all the terrible things that happened, to playing happy families at a birthday lunch? 'Oh he's just your eccentric uncle', who's still completely obsessed with a boy he met as a child, and who tried to kill virtually the entire household. It felt like the author wrote the first 3 parts, then said 'And they all lived happily ever after'.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Murder

annie_brewer'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Not quite a thriller, more twisted family drama?

This one felt very confusing at the start with mulitple POV/timelines and so many characters, but once the dynamics within the families were explained a bit further it was possible to identify the characters and where they fitted into the story.

This was a very quick read, and I was continously seeking out how all the characters fitted into the main story, but the book felt unbalanced in that the past was much more interesting than the present storyline.

The 'cult/commune' style of the familes living situation was fascinatingly laid out and the perceptions of the kids during these events was so well written, which to the reader (and some characters) were obvious indications the slow indoctrination of the parents into submission.

Henry was a very interesting narrator. The oscilation between story-telling and correcting the others narratives was so well done via audiobook I got an intense understanding his true personality. I felt uncomfortable with how persistent he was to romance Phinn, but I would consider this behaviour due to his dysfunctional childhood, however some may have an issue with the gay character being presented as creepy and obsessive.

Other than Henry, Lucy returning to London to see The Baby felt like an unimportant story and Libby was a very unremarkable character that was too nice and trusting. 

I didn't know there was a sequel until seeing another review, but I do really want to know what else could possibly be added into this family tragedy on top of an (unneccesary) drug trip, dispicable abuses, domineering control, and murder.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Confinement, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Drug use

Minor: Animal death, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, and Murder