Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Dziewiąty dom by Leigh Bardugo

70 reviews

chamaeleontis's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Pretty slow start, but when it gets going, it gets GOING.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Child death, Cursing, Sexism, Violence, Rape, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Addiction, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Blood, Death, Excrement, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug use, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

lenz's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting and Drug abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Sexual violence

Minor: Rape and Forced institutionalization

aisling214's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, Violence, Death, Classism, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Gaslighting, Sexism, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Body horror, and Mental illness

emilywemily6's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

5.0

I’ve never read a book like this before, and it’s so refreshingly different than Bardugo’s YA novels (which I also loved!). I loved the sinister magic/dark academia vibes and how the multiple storylines unfold throughout the book. Lots of great plot twists I didn’t see coming and made me gasp out loud. I wish I understood more about the history of the houses/general world-building, but I think the book is written intentionally vague with a trickle of information as you are thrust into this world within our world, which adds to the mysterious, sinister feel. It kept me hooked and I can’t wait to read the next book. Apparently, lots of this book (not the magic lol) is true too, and now I want to go to New Haven.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Classism, Terminal illness, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Gore, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, Grief, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Rape, Vomit, Racism, Addiction, Misogyny, Police brutality, Sexual violence, and Stalking

itsheyfay's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Rape

Minor: Vomit and Racism

rainyghost's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Death, Murder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, Stalking, Gaslighting, Excrement, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

kerodgers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

3.75

Interesting characters and unique plot and setting so many twist and turns with a satisfying conclusion 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Murder, Rape, Addiction, Gore, Gaslighting, and Cursing

overbookedmama's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

 Alex is a 20-year-old HS dropout who gets plucked from her hospital bed as the sole survivor of a vicious murder to become a member of Lethe, a prestigious watchdog organization set up to keep Yale’s eight secret societies (houses of The Veil) in line. Most students at Yale are selected for their academic achievements. Alex can see ghosts (Grays) and the higher-ups have decided this particular gift is useful to exploit. If you strip back the dark academia setting, secret societies, occult, and paranormal, Ninth House is a murder mystery at its core. If you get wrapped up in conspiracy theories, you could have a lot of fun with this book. Or it might keep you up reading all night trying to put the pieces together and guess who’s to blame. It took me the first four chapters to figure out the structure of the novel but once I got used to the world-building and flashbacks, I found a good rhythm with the book. I don’t think it’s for everyone, though. Alex is an outsider and she’s the real highlight of the story. Her grit made so many aspects of the story feel raw. The entire story is dark and unsettling but in a way that you just can’t look away. You’ll be fighting for a resolution alongside the whole cast of characters. I did not see the twist at the end coming. I never do. I’m eager to pick up Hell Bent next! Psst… Check the content warnings and be wary of any scene with a bathroom. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Sexual violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Drug use, Death, and Classism

trippyotter's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Mental illness, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Rape

ravenfaerie's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Gaslighting, Medical content, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship