Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke

6 reviews

chrisscorkscrew's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Grief, Chronic illness, Dementia, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Sexual violence, Rape, and Forced institutionalization

ellenigrace's review

dark emotional mysterious

4.5

Great plot and great Gothic vibes but I struggled to differentiate between the dual timelines because the narrators' voices were so similar.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Pregnancy, Dementia, Confinement, Death, Rape, Blood, Grief, Animal death, and Body horror

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Car accident, Lesbophobia, Abortion, Infidelity, and Homophobia

brittsuek's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Sexual assault, Confinement, Child abuse, Rape, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Child death, Cursing, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

what_heather_loves's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

"Did I dream it all? Or was my mind playing tricks on me? Things always seem different in the dark, especially a dark forest in the dead I night. Even more so an ancient wood that is full of gnarled, ghostly trees...
The truth is, I want to believe that I dreamed it all, I really do. It would be a hundred times easier than the alternative...A ghost, and unlike any ghost I've ever seen depicted in a film, or read of in a book.
Something unspeakably evil is stalkjng the grounds of Lichen Hall."

This historical and gothic thriller is set in two time-frames (1959 and 1965) in fictional Lichen Hall, in the Scottish borders. Protagonists Mabel and Pearl are pregnant and unmarried and have come to stay to give birth and have their babies adopted. There's an ancient woodland with spooky folkore, ever-encroaching fungus and creepy Mrs Whitlock to contend with, as the women's stays become a nightmare. Tackling themes of motherhood, patriarchy and slavery, it's beautifully written, making the characters feel real. I found it atmospheric and ominous, recommended in particular to fans of Laura Purcell and Stacey Halls.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Pregnancy

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Rape, and Abortion

rhi_'s review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Death, Sexual assault, Body horror, Child death, Rape, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Lesbophobia, and Medical trauma

Minor: Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Car accident, and Emotional abuse

tamara_joy's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Very creepy, very... fungal.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Pregnancy, and Death

Moderate: Dementia, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Lesbophobia, Infidelity, Bullying, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abandonment, Abortion, Classism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Child death