Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

42 reviews

singalana's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

3.0

Odotin koko ajan kuunnellessani milloin kirjan toiminta lähtee käyntiin, eikä se oikein ikinä lähtenyt. Valitettavasti hienosta miljööstä ja potentiaalista huolimatta teos oli pettymys.

Parantola on thriller, mutta kallistuu minusta ehkä hieman enemmän mysteerin puolelle. Mitään henkeäsalpaavaa jännitystä ei ole luvassa. Teos on Pearse ensimmäinen, ja esikoisteokseksi se on kuitenkin varsin kelvollinen. 

Rikostutkija Elin saapuu Sveitsin Alpeille juhlimaan veljensä Isaacin kihlajaisia. Juhlapaikkana toimii luksushotelliksi muutettu entinen tuberkuloosiparantola. Pian Isaacin morsian katoaa ja Alpeilta löydetään ruumis. Sään huonontuessa hotellivieraat joutuvat eristyksiin muusta maailmasta ja tappaja alkaa toteuttaa kostoaan. 

Päähenkilö Elin on menneisyyden piinaama. Hän on työstään virkavapaalla erään häntä järkyttäneen tapauksen jälkeen. Lisäksi Eliniä piinaavat tapahtumat vuosien takaa ja hän haluaa saada veljeltään Isaacilta vastauksia. Elin on haavoittuvainen hahmo, mutta yrittää kuitenkin pyristellä irti menneisyytensä kahleista. Muut hahmot nähdään Elinin perspektiivin kautta. 

Aluksi kirjailijan rauhallinen tyyli ja lukijan ääni toimi hyvin tunnelman luomiseksi. Verkkainen tyyli kuitenkin jatkuu läpi teoksen, jolloin jännityksen ytimeen ei oikein kunnolla päästä. Loppujen lopuksi kirjasta jäi sellainen vaikutelma, että asioita tehtiin vain estetiikan takia, jännittävien visuaalisten elementtien hakemiseksi siinä tapauksessa jos kirjasta tehtäisiin filmatisointi. 

Spoilereita!

En oikein missään vaikeessa päässyt sinuiksi Elinin toimintatapojen kanssa. Hän tekee henkilöistö ja tapahtumista usein vääriä tulkintoja, jotka osoittautuvat kohtalokkaiksi. Samat kuviot toistuvat useaan otteeseen. Lisäksi Elin käyttäytyy varsin omavaltaisesti tutkiessaan tapausta ja on vaikea kuvitella että hän selviäisi siitä noin vain ilman perusteellisia kuulusteluja.

Loppuratkaisu oli pettymys. Motiivin yhteys tuberkuloosiparantolan tapahtumiin oli heikko. Lisäksi oli epäuskottavaa miten monta ihmistä tapaukseen oli sotkeutunut.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Blood, Gore, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Death of parent, Dementia, and Rape

keppers_jax's review

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

EXCELLENT IN AUDIO! Elizabeth Knowelden is an extremely talented narrator who seems to master many accents (flavors of British, French, German, American) and, at least to my American ear, also speaks flawless French and some German. 

As for the book, I struggled with how to rate this one. I enjoyed the story, but so much of it I was angry with the recklessness of the MC. In the end, I'm going with 4 stars because I enjoyed the story, there were several heart-pounding moments where I may have been holding my breath and though I figured out who the villain was, I didn't figure everything out. Plus, the Epilogue left me wanting more! Can't wait to read the next in this series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Sexism, and Gore

Minor: Abortion, Infertility, and Rape

trinityclaffey's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced which was exactly what I need most the time. Plus I absolutely loved the blast to the past historical points within the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Body horror, Torture, Gore, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Murder

amandalachelle's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Stalking, Medical content, Death, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Body horror, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Rape, and Panic attacks/disorders

wonderstr_ck's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Death of parent

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Really interesting murder mystery. I didn’t know the bad guy until it was revealed and honestly hadn’t even considered the culprit for that role. I couldn’t put this one down — stayed up til the wee hours reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Infertility, Medical content, Torture, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

laurenalyssa13's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

2.25

I thought this was such an exciting premise and idea. Although it did make me want to keep reading,  I didn’t really feel like it had any pay off and felt like a let down.  There were really no big reveals to me, which is what I enjoy about thriller/mysteries. I thought it was all pretty predictable. In terms of the writing, the author created a good atmosphere, but I had a hard time getting over her repetitive words and phrases (technical jackets, thinking something and then it JUST slipping away, etc.) This unfortunately didn’t meet the potential I thought it had. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Rape

stephtoriz's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I was so confused by the ending or the epilogue </ spoiler > I thought they saw that Laure was the one who pushed her into the plunge pool which still doesn’t make sense if she was in hiding .. so this man that’s stalking her ? He did it ? Idk 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Vomit, Torture, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Death, Blood, and Body horror

Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Rape, Forced institutionalization, and Cancer

magical_mads's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

1.5

The characters were very unlikable and frustrating. There were at least four or five plot twists within the last 100 pages. The motivations behind the murders made no sense. And then there was a feminist twist thrown in at the very end so that the author could make some social commentary or some thing, which was handled very poorly (in my opinion). I’m so disappointed because this kind of premise/commentary is 100% sent the thing that I normally go for. But this book is a no for me.

Also, I hated how in the topic of rape was treated in this book. It felt like it was shoved in as a last minute plot twist. It should never be treated like that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Stalking, Torture, Gaslighting, and Gore

Minor: Infertility, Rape, Abortion, and Sexual assault

nic1894's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual assault and Blood