Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

115 reviews

nat00_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Pedophilia

kimveach's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.0

Dark and disturbing but a good thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Pedophilia, Confinement, Misogyny, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Rape, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Murder, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

sandysmith's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

It was an easy read for me, and I devoured this book very quickly. Told from 3 seemingly unconnected points of view, which gradually their connection is revealed. It's essentially about 4 children living in a sort of cult and a baby. The adults were really unlikeable either through weakness or just horribly dark. The four children include an abandoned baby inheriting a valuable house in London, Libby (serenity), Phin, Clemence, Henry, and Lucy. All the characters are brilliantly written, giving the reader a ride of emotions. This book should come with trigger warnings as it could be triggering for some. It's a very dark, twisty, engrossing read of betrayal, redemption, and brutal family dynamics. What's not to love? Fab stuff

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, and Confinement

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Abandonment

cardenasjamiee's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pregnancy, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Rape

heather_harrison's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Abandonment and Death

Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, and Pregnancy

antireading's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I saw most of the twists coming but there was one in particular that got me good.

I enjoyed the cult aspects and the storytelling style

but I do not understand the narrative device of

Henry's narration. He is writing to Libby yet he is mentions the lies he told her at the end. And I couldn't tell if it was a journal or what the framing of it was.

I was enjoying it up until around 80ish% when we find out

Henry has been lying about most things.

While I figured that was the case, I didn't like the extent to what it was,

and hate the fact that the villain is a predatory gay man. That is an overdone and harmful trope and the fact that Henry assaults and harasses Phin and how that is the source of the conflict is gross.

It's a shame because before that, I would have rated it MUCH higher. After reading the description of the next book, I don't think I will continue with the sequel. I don't really care for that mystery to be solved knowing who did it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Pregnancy, Abortion, Blood, and Miscarriage

littlepelkey20's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Murder, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Confinement

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Pregnancy, Suicide, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Child abuse

Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, Infertility, Miscarriage, Animal death, and Rape

readingwithel's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I have mixed opinions about this book. I found it a bit boring to start with and got so confused as to who everyone was, however as the plot got more dark and twisted I started to get into it a bit more as I was more interested. The plot twists were good but I do think there were a few to many that the overwhelmingness (not a word I know) of it took away a bit of the marvel as there was like three plot twists in one chapter about

who's the baby was.

That brother was a bit odd and I'm excited to see what he does in the next book. Overall, wouldn't be a book I would be excited to recommend, but I still enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Suicide, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Death, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty

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

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