Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

54 reviews

leapyear_reader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

i absolutely adore the descriptions of the moors. i got to say that emily brontë is an absolute genius at setting the tone by describing emotions in faces when there are no dialogues. there is not one person i like in this book even though i greatly empathise with each and every one of them. A MASTERPIECE OF WRITING! 
now, the things i didnt love about the book: the part of the book where the affair between catherine linton and linton is dealt with is just dragged on for too long…they should have been left side characters rather than create a new generation of protagonists. also, heathcliff is literally an abomination of a human and his violence really made me cry, BUT THEN every time he talks about catherine i see him as a person again. damn your genius miss brontë.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, and Classism

lleer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Kidnapping

directorpurry's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Death of parent

rebeccafarren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism

lectricefeministe's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Classism

cinderrunner's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism

sir_ren's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

So I heard this is an audiobook and therefore have none of my margin scribbles to reference for my review which is now going to be all over the place. Well, I rather liked the approach of the novel in terms of using supernatural elements, or maybe it is apt to say - its lack of explicit use. Having read another Bronte novel recently my mind naturally compared the two and I much prefer this one to Jane Eyre's obvious use of fantastical elements. I also preferred this book as a whole to Jane Eyre, I think.
This goes without saying but Wuthering Heights has a lot of Gothic and Romantic elements to it- the gloomy old House setting, the wild moors, the Byronic hero, emphasis on Nature, individual actions/feelings, and so on.
The tale is one of revenge and obsessive love driven by two primary emotions of fear and love.
I also imagine that the violence and certain incidents must have been rather shocking at the time of publication- a lot of it still is.
The characters are deeply flawed and almost universally unlikable (maybe with the exception of Hareton, Edgar Linton, and perhaps Isabella Linton). But being unlikable does not exclude the characters from being understood or pitied by the reader. They are rather engaging and spur the story forward. 
The novel unfolds as a story within a story and the narrators are unreliable. This leaves room for the reader to reflect and discuss with others doubtlessly varying interpretations and guesses. The story switches from the past to the present day. And keeping track of the characters due to the similar names is a Task at first. Some readers may require to note down the names or make a family tree/look one up online. That may help prevent readers from giving up on the book due to being confused or annoyed by this part.
And some of the lines in this book- especially the dialogue when Catherine or Heathcliff speak of each other- insane and raw. They are popular and sound striking. I might have expected a great deal more time or words spent describing the moorland but I am satisfied with what was included even if I didn't find the descriptions particularly stunning or memorable.
 

The way Catherine haunts Heathcliff and brings him anguish from love and at times fear- that was interesting. I mean he did tell her she ought to. I do not think of their relationship as The romance. I don't think of this book as a Love Story either. It is more of a revenge narrative, with morality and class being impactful factors in the tale. The two's obsessive love for each other is almost merely a way for the story to portray the calculating, horrid revenge exacted by H and how it alters the fate of the 2 families. But the hope of breaking generational patterns and repeating mistakes is affirmed by the ending on a much-needed positive note for the book to end on.

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Classism

headachesince03's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Eating disorder and Religious bigotry

jessthanthree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Kidnapping, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

s1etal's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Kidnapping

Moderate: Alcoholism and Child death