Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

257 reviews

rebecca_the_reader's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Murder

arayo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, and Confinement

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Pregnancy

imogenlj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

When I finished this I felt like I'd been punched in my diaphragm- it's devastating, righteous and empathetic, yet hopeful. I felt tense the entire time I was reading. I want to push this into the hands of anyone fascinated with True Crime and say 'Look! It's not about the killers!' It doesn't dwell too much on anything but this is a dark book so check trigger warnings if you're keen to avoid something.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Grief, Murder, Child death, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Self harm, Drug abuse, Car accident, Death of parent, Racism, and Sexual assault

lololoretta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Child abuse, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Child death

upshawsg's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

Besides the occasional overuse of the word “sour”, Danya was able to spin a haunting story about the impact a serial killer has had on the women in his life. Finished it in 2 days and I’m still thinking about it long after reading the final pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Rape

emmehooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, and Misogyny

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and Grief

Minor: Animal cruelty, Stalking, and Suicide

bee_isreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Death, Stalking, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment

earth2sammi's review against another edition

dark tense

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Every woman in this book is so compelling. Saffy, Jenny, Shawna, LAVENDER, Hazel, Lila.....I could go on. Prose was off the walls, I loved it.

I was a bit bummed that we didn't REALLY get a lot from Baby Packer/Ellis. I was also a little underwhelmed at the chapters Blue was in. Reading those chapters made me feel even more uncomfy with Ansel, I wasn't sure if he ever really liked Blue or if he was just sick. I guess he was both. I would have given anything for an Ansel and Lavender reunion. His theory was really interesting too.

Overall, super gripping. I'm glad I read it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Child abuse

tattedtrashreader's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

The books storytelling and execution were very well-done. I appreciated the rotating perspectives and how each character saw a different side of Ansel, including Ansel himself. I found it interesting that there’s an element of redemption for some of the characters and a stark lack for others. It really feels like the darker side of life, where things aren’t fair and not everyone gets their happily ever after. 

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is deeply triggering and is depressing at times. The narration paints a grey setting with very few lighthearted points in the plot. It needs a heavy trigger warning. I need a much lighter read after this one 😅 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Abandonment, Murder, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse

liliana92's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I went into this book expecting this to be the story of Ansel and his murders told through the eyes of the victims, as the book summary promises, but it is not this at all. The murders happen off page. And I think if I knew this was the case, that the book is about the actual lives of women he interacted with at a point or another, maybe I would have rated a 5. I wanted more "murder" (that feels awkward to write). 
I think in terms of the book itself, the only criticism I have is that the jumping from perspectives and in a 20 year timeline got confusing and sometimes left me feeling like I needed more from certain scenarios. Oh that and I hated the fact that Ansel thought he was some genius for getting a prison guard to be apparently "shaken" by his seduction powers. Otherwise, I think it's a great read. Just don't think you're gonna get a play by play of a murder, because you're not. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, and Murder