Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont

13 reviews

kirstencholewa's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Child death, Suicide, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Murder

Minor: Gaslighting

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

I’ve always been more interested in Agatha Christie’s real life than her amazing stories. I love the mystery that no one can figure out, and this novel fills in all the gaps in such a mysterious and satisfying way. There is so much love in this book, all wrapped up in mystery and deception. I really enjoyed it, and would like to hope the real life mystery was a lot like this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Murder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, War, and Suicide

sophie_theresia_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I have no words. This story was everything and even more than I expected when I picked it up. It was so much more than just a mystery novel and I'd definitely check out trigger warnings beforehand - I did not expect that dark of a backstory really. I really enjoyed the story built around the vanishing of Agatha Christie, which really happened, becoming something that could've been, but we never will know for sure. Will definitely look more into that vanishing now I'm deeply invested! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Death, Rape, Misogyny, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

_alyssar_'s review

emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Rape, Terminal illness, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Murder, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Classism, Domestic abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Car accident, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

georginathelibrarian's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.0

This really would have been better entirely separate from Agatha Christie, it was a strong enough story on its own, and the link to Christie’s disappearance just felt incredibly tenuous and unnecessary 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Slavery, Sexual assault, Child death, and Kidnapping

passionatereader78's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

What a twisted tale of love! What does a woman do when her husband leaves her for his mistress? She disappears and uncovers a horrible past act that has impacted her future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Death, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Trafficking, War, Sexual violence, and Torture

natashaball's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Child death

kaylamoran's review

dark mysterious sad 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

3.0

This was a 5 star prediction for me, and it fell so flat.  It never managed to get me to care about the characters, despite all of its efforts.  It's not bad per se but I'm extremely disappointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, War, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

jessgreads's review

challenging emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.5

Rating: ⭐⭐✨⬜⬜

Title: The Christie Affair

Author: Nina de Gramont

Genre: Historical Fiction

Setting: London, England

Month Read: February 2022

Book Type: Hardcover

Publication: 2022

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press

Pages: 311

*Book of the Month Selection

TRIGGER WARNING- 

Abuse / Infidelity / Murder / Kidnapping / Trauma / Religious Abuse / Rape

"Perhaps a woman has a different kind of measuring stick. For when it might be acceptable, or even necessary, to commit a murder."

No Spoiler Summary:

The Christie Affair is a fiction take on Agatha Christie's mysterious 11 day disappearance told in the POV's of Agatha, and her husband's mistress, Nan. You follow both women through the days before, during, and slightly after the disappearance takes place. You also follow Nan through her past, filled with trauma, treachery, and abuse. 

Review:

I'm not quite sure how I felt about this novel, and I think the completely fabricated storylines sort of lost me a bit more than I thought they would. For fans of Agatha, I think this misses the mark quite a bit on being a good mystery novel, and Nan's stakes in this seem incredibly far fetched (and a little forced.)

Nan's past was an incredibly hard part of this book to get through, for me, and I could have probably just read an entire book about this and enjoyed it a lot more. The Irish Catholic religion and the harm they did to unmarried women is disgusting, and as a newer Mom this sent me into rages. I cannot imagine what all of these women went through, and it just hurts so much to know that religion, and those who upheld it, caused people so much pain.

I wish we got to know Archie more, besides just being the man in the center of these two women.I feel like he was really underdeveloped and one sided, and I left the novel unsure why anyone even wanted him in the firs place. 

See more reviews at:  https://jessgreads.wixsite.com

"As if the sheer force of her anguish had made her, inexplicably, the most important person on earth"

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Trafficking, Violence, Abandonment, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual content

Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Alcohol, Bullying, and Confinement

shaney_swift's review

emotional mysterious 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child death and Rape