Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Grip of It by Jac Jemc

6 reviews

badmom's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

The writing is taut yet descriptive enough to bring us fully into a contemporary young couple’s tense world. Chapters alternate points of view so we slowly come to understand what their marriage is like and how they’ve arrived at the decision to buy an unsettling old house far from their friends & former city life. 
Tension & dread builds quickly + powerfully; creepy circumstances unfold and start to have historical connections but then are largely left at symbolic meaning for the couple. 
I was left considering how I would react in their situation and pondering my own relationship but would have preferred a more concrete conclusion. But, discomfort in the unknown might be the point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Stalking and Alcohol

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Medical content, and Emotional abuse

ash_ton's review

2.75

similar to the haunting of hill house. i'm sure a lot of inspiration was pulled from there. i want more from this book. i feel like things weren't completely answered/thought through. too many loose ends/confusing things.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, and Body horror

Moderate: Child death, Addiction, Gaslighting, and Medical content

Minor: Suicide attempt

traa's review

dark mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Dementia, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Stalking

Minor: Murder, Sexual violence, Vomit, Cancer, Fatphobia, Violence, Eating disorder, and Sexual content

cady_sass's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

2.0

I want to like this, really, but it just makes no sense. It’s clear that’s the intention but how do you write a novel with this many subplots and resolve literally none of them? I’m invested, I finished the book, and it’s so dissatisfying. What did I read? I have no idea. What’s the point? I have no idea. Does the author know? Does anyone know? I’m not mad, I’m disappointed. *shrug* 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gaslighting, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

savvylit's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

The Grip of It is literary horror at its finest. Through the perspectives of both Julie and James, Jemc builds a creeping dread that feels entirely too realistic. Like Julie & James, I found myself second-guessing the creepy occurrences. Maybe there really was a perfectly reasonable explanation for the hidden rooms in the house or the drawings on the walls? Their attempts to explain away the supernatural while simultaneously losing their minds were so terrifying. I couldn't put this book down because I became obsessed with discovering the next scary detail.

Highly recommend to fellow fans of literary horror and haunted house tropes!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Alcohol and Addiction

mateoj's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

1.75

could not stand the writing style I'm sorry. also, you know that post that's like "why didn't the people in twin peaks just move"? yeah. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Child death, Medical content, and Suicide attempt