Reviews with content warning for Death - Elizabeth Is Missing

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey

9 reviews

astoriareader's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

SYNOPSIS

Maud is elderly & has dementia, which continues to worsen over time. She forgets where she is going, where she is, whether she has eaten, and more. Her daughter, Helen, takes care of her.
Maud writes herself notes as reminders. She constantly tries to focus on whether her best friend, Elizabeth, is missing.
At times, Maud recalls her childhood, where her sister, Sukey, also disappeared in 1946.

MY THOUGHTS

So beautifully written. Very unique premise.
Loved how these stories flow together. Maud seamlessly brought back to memories of her sister’s disappearance, and the two time lines alternate in the story.
Excellent character development.
I couldn’t put it down. I was really invested in tying up all the loose ends.
Impressive execution, masterful story telling.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️very unique premise. loved the execution and character development.

Content Warnings

chandlery's review against another edition

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reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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veskumelooni's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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fyre_flies's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

What do you do when you can't trust your Own memories?

If there's one thing Maud knows, it's that Elizabeth is missing. She hasn't seen her in days, her house is empty and her horrible son is moving things out of it, even the ecclectic mix of odd ceramics she adores. Something isn't right! But with the past and present jumbling in her brain, making Maud more and more confused, how can she make heads or tails of things? How can she possibly find Maud! And, more importantly, where is the best place to plant marrows? She just can't remember!

Elizabeth is missing is a moving, emotionally unsettling tale of dementia and its devastating effects, encased neatly in the trappings of a mystery. This story will keep you on your toes, both mentally and emotionally, as the half-forgotten events of Maud's past as a young girl after the second world war and the quiet tragedies of her present as a mother, grandmother, friend and unsteady heroine collide.

Mystery lovers, this story is definitely one to add to your list!

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natshu's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

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silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

This book is not a thriller. I expect thrillers to be stressful in a way that's tense, and, well... thrilling. This book is stressful in a vaguely uncomfortable sort of way, like making eye contact with a stranger in the produce department and then trying not to meet them again in every aisle for the rest of the store.

I did really enjoy how the writing incorporated the narrator's increasing dementia, leaving us wondering a bit along with the narrator what was really going on, but providing enough context clues to keep the readers from being totally lost. And of course, I always appreciate the experience of being inside the head of someone whose brain works differently from mine. I wish this book had been edited and marketed as more of literary mystery, because I think I could have enjoyed the story a lot more without the false attempt to 'thrill' me.

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emilyswift's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad slow-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

2.0

I wasn’t really a fan. It took me soooo long to read and I didn’t even fully finish it. it was very disappointing for me and i tried but it was an ache to read.

Content Warnings

rinitealeaf's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Content Warnings

lookingmuchimproved's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

This was a very emotional read for me. Healey does a very good job of putting us in the head of the main character, who has dementia, which allows us to experience her frustration along with her as she fails to get people to listen to her refrains that "Elizabeth is missing" due to a breakdown in communication between her memory and thoughts and words. The characters in this book want things that should be reasonable. Maud wants someone to listen, and she wants the peace that comes with finally having answers. Her daughter wants her Mum's last bit of time where she has any cognitive clarity to be focused on her already deceased father and memories of their family. The injustice in this book is seeing people have to bear an emotional or mental toll that never should have been theirs in the first place, and seeing that solving the mystery is more than anything a fight for peace. The book is definitely worth a read, especially if you want a very non-traditional mystery and emotional storyline, but it didn't entirely wow me which is why I'm giving it a 3.75 star rating. There were some portions that dragged and where I didn't feel excited to pick the book back up again.

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