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Graphic: Body horror, Death, Grief, Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Infertility, Pedophilia, Rape, Toxic relationship
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity
Minor: Infertility, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Car accident
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Mariana is our protagonist, a group therapist that I found to be unreliable but empathetic as narrator, a winning combination in the genre. I personally appreciated her healthy dose of suspicion and was intrigued by the way she interacted with others through a therapist's lens, interpreting behaviors and motivations. Did I doubt every person she interacted with, including her? YES of course I did. So naturally, I was partially correct at the end while also being wildly not correct, which I enjoyed immensely. I appreciate the author for his sleight of hand and the way he manages what I notice as a reader to lead me astray.
The last 10% of the book was a wild ride. At first, I was irritated at where I thought the big reveal was headed and started to adjust my expectations for the finale and the book as a whole (thrillers more than any other genre hinge on the ending for me in terms of how I feel towards it). Luckily, I was being tricked ~again~ and a quick shift left me surprised and much more satisfied.
I was impressed by the range of the audiobook narrator with sinister interludes from the serial killer's perspective from a different voice actor. I liked the way this obscured his identity by separating the main performance from the way his writings were read, i.e. I wasn't able to match voices to guess who he is.
Finally, I loved the unexpected The Silent Patient tie-in, a brief easter egg that was clever and enjoyable while remaining subtle enough to not detract from the reading experience if you aren't familiar with the author's other book.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Infertility, Sexual content
Minor: Self harm, Xenophobia
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment