Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Institute by Stephen King

66 reviews

thebookkeepers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

This was my first Stephen King book and WOW. I can see why he is the revered author that he is. This book was a psychological thriller with sci-fi themes. I was immersed in the story and could not put it down. I was a little confused with the opening Part since it didn't align with the blurb, but trusted the process and it all made sense. I was on pins and needles reading this and it consumed my attention. I loved the Netflix show The OA and this reminded me of parts of that show. I loved all the characters and thought the execution of the story as well as the reveals of the mysterious parts were done with expert attention. I will be reading more Stephen King, especially next time I crave a page-turner. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Murder, Medical trauma, Child death, Death, Confinement, Death of parent, Suicide, Child abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Violence, Cursing, and Gun violence

Minor: Excrement and Vomit

sunflower7skull's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

very good book!! dark but well-written and interesting worldbuilding

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Dementia, Gaslighting, Gore, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, War, Gun violence, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Self harm, and Torture

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Vomit, Addiction, Racism, Excrement, and Stalking

Minor: Racial slurs

beaniebabybecca's review against another edition

dark sad 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Child abuse, Murder, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Kidnapping, Child death, Medical trauma, and Death

societarian's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Torture, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent and Child death

beefygordito's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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? No

3.5

As an avid reader of King's classic novels, I decided to jump forward in his collection to The Institute. It's got a lot of the classic tropes of a King novel; powerful children, psychic powers, older male supporting a younger child. It's a lot like Firestarter in that way. However the book didn't leave me curious as to what was going to happen next. Most of it was highly predictable, and felt a bit like the plot of a book you'd read in middle school, but written by a master of the craft. He's a wordsmith like no other, but overall just felt a bit underwhelmed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Child abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Death of parent and Child death

bookswithlauren's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Excrement, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Vomit, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, War, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Medical content, Violence, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

eyyline's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Torture, Death, Cursing, Child death, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Medical trauma and Suicide

boywonder's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I'll say first: I've been a King fan since I was a kid. I don’t think this is King at his finest or most gripping. The climactic action of the book is great and I sped through it. But I think a lot of this has Liberal White Dude problems in a way not all of his stuff does? It's a solid book if you're not severely upset by fictional mistreatment of children, though if you are I think you'd know to steer clear.

The bad people in this sometimes read as caricatures but we're also getting them from the pov of children, so it makes sense.

The single most effective thing in this book is the way people will hurt and kill others, even kids, and tell themselves they're somehow in the right. That reads as chillingly accurate.

Overall though it's kind of mid for King. Read Fairy Tale instead.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Gun violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Blood and Gore

Minor: Vomit, Racial slurs, and Racism

skysbooknook's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

ajay913's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Blood, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Torture, Body horror, Violence, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Gun violence, Cancer, Vomit, and Alcohol

Minor: Gaslighting, War, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts