Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

25 reviews

headinthepages's review against another edition

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Murder, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Abandonment, Death, Gore, Body horror, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Alcohol, Confinement, Violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

babsi_222's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Blood, Child death, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Police brutality

blewballoon'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? Yes

3.5

I guess I'm along for the ride and these mysteries and cliffhangers are working on me. It's like when you're watching a show and you don't think you love it, but you can't stop watching it. David is driving me nuts though, I'm in agreement with everyone from the first book who was tired of his shenanigans. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Child death, and Blood

Minor: Alcoholism, Gun violence, and Violence

itsheyfay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Child death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Murder, Infidelity, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Ableism, and Drug use

m4rtt4's review

adventurous 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

4.75

never been a fan of the Edward King plotline (imo it's unnecessary), but apart from that I liked everything else in this book and just absolutely could not put it down. A perfect story to binge-read!! + I loved that this book focused more on the mystery part and not all that teen relationship drama like the first one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

books4em's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book made me remember why I love thrillers - but not just any thriller, those thriller series where you are left without the one last answer to the mystery. You have so many of the pieces fitting together, but then there's that one question that leaves you hanging. Add in a new cliffhanger, and you've got those specially amazing thrillers. That was The Vanishing Stair. I am about to immediately pick up the third book in the Truly Devious series because this was so good. Johnson really knows how to write a story that keeps you captivated. Reading the two timelines at the same time is a key aspect of this series and one I enjoy greatly. Combined with the fantastic descriptions of the setting of Burlington, Ellingham, and Vermont in general, it is truly amazing (pun intended). The whole subplot with Edward King I'm not a fan of, but I see its purpose. Same with the Dr. Fenton and Hunter subplot - not sure where that's going. As with Truly Devious, I appreciated the queer rep with the side characters (one of whom uses they/them pronouns and it's seamless) along with the mental health rep. I liked how these points continued from the first book. I also liked how this book focused more on solving the Ellingham case, not just the one in the current timeline. And by far, the best moment in this book is on page 348 where Stevie is talking through the murders with those involved in the cupola and the ghost of Dottie looks at George Marsh's ghost and turns to Stevie and nods and Stevie nods back. Yes!!! That moment of understanding and thanks from Dottie is insurmountable! But still, where is Alice and what's the secret surrounding her?! I need answers, so on to book 3!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Confinement

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Kidnapping

tangleroot_eli's review

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

I like every part of this book except David; I dislike David so much it almost ruins my enjoyment of everything else in the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Animal cruelty, and Death

Minor: Kidnapping, Body horror, Vomit, and Sexism

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, and Violence

amaya_jam's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I'm not a big audiobook person but for some reason, this series just works in this format 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Vomit and Alcoholism

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Confinement

thebookpaiges's review

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, and Grief