Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The September House by Carissa Orlando

60 reviews

greendog95's review

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Mental illness, Blood, and Dementia

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal death and Child death

gogglor's review

dark tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Oh I just loved this book. The metaphor of putting up with a haunted home as putting up with an abusive husband is just so perfectly done. I guessed the twists early so not five stars, but this book was so good it almost didn’t matter. Highly, highly recommend.

UPDATE: had to change it to 5 stars because it’s months later and I’m still thinking about this book and recommending it to anyone who’ll listen.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

The only animal death is repeated mention of birds crashing into the outside of the cursed house, and that’s not a spoiler.

caseyhaunter's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicide, Vomit, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Emotional abuse, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, and Fire/Fire injury

thehorrormom's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

jeannelynne24's review

challenging dark emotional funny sad 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

4.0

While I loved this book (it kept me guessing with the wild swings!), it DEFINITELY needs trigger warnings!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Dementia, Cannibalism, Abandonment, and Alcohol

rainbowbookworm's review

dark medium-paced

3.5

Carissa Orlando’s September House is a twisty, compulsively readable debut that delves into the unnerving and the unexpected. The premise is intriguing: Margaret and her husband Hal buy their dream Victorian home on Hawthorn Street, only to discover that it’s a haunted nightmare. Every September, the house undergoes a grotesque transformation—walls drip with blood, ghosts of former inhabitants appear, and an ominous presence lurks in the basement. Despite these horrors, Margaret is determined to stay, a decision that ultimately strains her marriage.

The novel doesn’t fit neatly into the horror genre, despite its unsettling scenes and characters. Margaret’s nonchalant attitude towards the house’s September transformations creates a curious detachment. For her, these events are just part of the routine, while for the reader, it’s a first encounter with the house’s terrifying anomalies.

The suspense ramps up with the arrival of Margaret’s daughter, Katherine, who comes to find her missing father. Katherine is troubled by her father’s disappearance and her mother’s seemingly indifferent response. As Katherine searches for Hal, the hauntings grow more intense, and Margaret becomes increasingly entangled with the malevolent forces in the house and the ghosts’ disturbing secrets.

The climax of September House includes some strikingly grotesque body horror, and the book is rich in detailed descriptions of the ghosts’ tragic fates. For readers sensitive to such content, checking trigger warnings before diving in is advisable.

While I found the novel entertaining, I felt somewhat underwhelmed. However, Orlando’s background as a psychologist specializing in children and adolescents shines through, adding depth to the characters and contributing to the book’s notable strengths. If you’re looking for a psychological twist on haunted house lore, September House offers a compelling, if unconventional, read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

coco78337's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

tristinrose's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting

Minor: Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

larcadip's review

2.75

A lot to unpack here. I liked the ambition, but I think the author tackled some big ideas (mental health, domestic violence) without sensitivity or any kind of subtlety. Horror can be beautiful for the metaphors and nuance. This literally hit you over the head with it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism

fkshg8465's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was better than I expected it to be. Until the last few chapters, I kept questioning reality and wondered how I could suspend reality at the same time. It was the same feeling I had watching Everything Everywhere All at Once. I loved the relationships Margaret cultivated. And I appreciated the mother-daughter dynamic too. That was probably the most real thing about the book and also the best part for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail