Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

94 reviews

sourpatch409's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

3.25

I read a review describing this book as having Silent Hill and The Descent vibes. That's what initially grabbed my attention. 

It was not like that.

I was really hoping for more monster/big scary beastie action - like in The Descent. There's little interaction between the main character and the Tunneler (cave monster), and she doesn't even see one until the book is almost over. I also think it would've been more interesting to have had a couple other cavers with her and have them get hurt/killed off, increasing the tension. Reading climbing details repetitively for one person was a bit tedious.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Death of parent

nittiotvaan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Body horror, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Drug use

royalraspberry's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Confinement, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Moderate: Gore and Vomit

solleron's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional relaxing fast-paced

5.0

i was in a cafe reading this. i think i was alone. i flailed like crazy

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gaslighting, Death, Abandonment, Body horror, Grief, and Toxic relationship

wrenny03's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

Do not go into The Caves. The Caves are alive and malicious and they want you dead. This book fucks.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Drug use, Body horror, Death, and Vomit

Moderate: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Confinement

Minor: Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship

danimacuk's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Blood and Medical content

evelikesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Confinement, Mental illness, Vomit, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts

smolhandsdan's review

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

This not a story for everyone, it doesn't focus on monster and super natural, they do makw an appearance here and there in the story - enough for me to be on edge when they pop up.

The main drive for the characters in this story is grief and trauma. And the fucked up system of needing money and putting yourself in a dangerous scenario just to get what you need. I liked that reality. I liked the pull and give between the characters learning to trust each other and recognize their faults and how to move past that.

The horror of cave diving, swimming through tight places, and relying on gear was enough to get me in HELL NO, NOPE headspace anxiety for the the main character. I think at times it could be a touch repetitive in the experiences chapter by chapter. The author was good at weaving new existential dread, frustration, despair, mental trauma that kept it fresh. I was sitting here wondering if the end would be depression hell or if it might turn out alright somehow.  I enjoyed the grief, I think that kinda dark place isn't something everyone understands but damn was it powerful. 

I enjoyed the audiobook I'm excited to check out the other authors works!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma

thelittlestrobot's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, Grief, and Death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

samferree's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, and Death