Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

8 reviews

kkalicky94's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Violence, Blood, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Sexual assault, and Rape

phoricho's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I initially rated this book 4 stars, but after a couple of months of it living rent-free in my mind, I decided to change that to a 5 star. My original rating was more due to the fact that this book left me not knowing how to feel. It was so different from anything I've ever read, both in content and layout. 

Content-wise, it's a very dark book, and the characters go through numerous traumas. It's not for everyone. Check the trigger warnings.

Layout-wise, there are no chapters. That's unique, but it works with the story. There are two parts, and the POVs are broken up by section breaks. 

Yes, it's a horrifying story, but I thought it was beautifully told, and the characters felt so real. I'm excited to read the rest of the series. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Stalking, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Rape, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Torture, Trafficking, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

aparker89's review

dark emotional tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

This book kicks off with a bang and doesn't stop! It's a super fast paced read that holds a lot in its few pages! You are immediately thrown into the middle of a horrific story and you just have to find out what happens! The final twist at the end is a little too thrown together and honestly I would have left it out, but I'm not the author. This is a great book to jump into and just enjoy! 
Note this book is a horror/thriller and while the author does "protect" us from some of it early on that shielding does disappear as the story progresses. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery

Moderate: Deadnaming, Sexism, Pregnancy, Death, Drug use, Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Suicide, Torture, Body horror, Cursing, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, and Fire/Fire injury

evevallarta's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Wow.
Esta demasiado intenso, es una historia muy fuerte, aunque el final cierra bien, hay una luz al final del tunel.
Esta narrado de manera muy unica e incluso al final sorprende un pequeño twist. 
Definitivamente recomiendo checar los trigger warnings ⚠️ porque son a lo larggo de toooodo el libro.
Se gana sus 5 estrellas porque no le encontré ni un error, me engancho desde el principio 
AUNQUE, no es de mis favoritos.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Murder, Pedophilia, Violence, Addiction, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Rape, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual violence

kassidypf13's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Violence

christyjoreads's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Very engaging.  This had so many disturbing moments. It was interesting how the gardner could justify what he was doing and how he felt entitled to the beauty of women.  It is horrifying to realize that (some) men think beauty and sex seemed to be owed to them.....

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Slavery

cait's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Kidnapping, Medical content, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Abandonment, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Torture

jcpreads's review

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I’ve heard nothing but great things about this book which made me a little apprehensive going into it. You never know if it’s actually going to live up to the hype. I finished this book less than 30 seconds ago and I’m already typing up a review, so that should tell you something already.

The writing style of this one was unique. It took a bit for me to get used to the differing POV’s without a distinct indication of the change. It also took me a little bit to get used to the fact that this book didn’t have chapters, which I’m typically one to stay away from. HOWEVER, once adjusting this book had me hooked. I was actually hooked by page 15 which was way too early on for my comfort.

The character development was incredibly intriguing to see play out literally until the very last page. The narrator, Maya/Inara was mildly unreliable but mainly because the reader needs to have that inkling of doubt. Learning about the main character’s life before, in the middle, and after was important to this plot. Dot Hutchinson is an incredible writer and has a beautiful way of stringing words together.

I’m not a series girl, and I know I’ve said that before. So believe me when I say, I cannot wait to get my hands on book #2 of this series.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Infertility, Incest, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship