Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

37 reviews

librarymouse's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny fast-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

This book is fantastic! I think the non-linear narrative really added to the suspense as the plot unfolded slowly. I enjoy how this novel puts readers into the position to root for Carolyn as she does exestentially terrifying things, the consequences of which ramp up slowly. Yet the author is still able to root the horrors of the reality Carolyn creates to the reality we know through Steve and Erwin.

This was recommended to me as horror, but I can't help but feel that while it is scary and gory, horror isn't the correct genre for this novel. Horror makes me panic at night. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning reading The Library at Mount Char.
This is everything I could want and more from a book that starts out with the vibes of a post-hayday magic school memoir of sorts.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Violence, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

silverheartbookclub's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Murder, Blood, Child death, Rape, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Drug use, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, War, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Car accident, Addiction, and Cancer

davidamarion's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Gun violence, Self harm, Violence, and Suicide

evandaniel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

4.25

I don’t really even know how to describe this. Recommend for fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett who aren’t sensitive to violence.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Torture, Body horror, Rape, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Minor: Self harm, Kidnapping, Drug use, Abandonment, Vomit, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Xenophobia, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, War, Racism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

amelyn19's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Child death, Blood, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Self harm, Rape, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, War, Violence, Torture, Suicide, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization

azurae's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense 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

1.5

While I have mixed feelings about this book, I overall really didn't enjoy it. The violence was overdone to the point of being gratuitous, the story didn't flow well, alternating between painfully slow and dropping large storyline bombs quickly, and so many loose ends left unexplored. Many of the characters are never developed at all, for example

Nearly half the librarians were barely mentioned, the enemies were nebulous and barely any info is given on them, many of the mysteries brought up left unexplained etc

The "oh father was the hero all along and had to horrifically torture these kids to make a god, and planned everything out behind the scenes, meaning Carolyn was just a pawn plodding to her destiny" ending was really unsatisfying. The sexual assault scenes were unnecessary and horrible to read, the story would've been better without them. The author himself in interviews has said that he debated heavily with himself on whether to include them, and I feel he made the wrong call. 
However, the writing was really gripping, the library concept was executed well, and I did enjoy some aspects of this book. Dresden & Naga were my favorite characters and the whole lion arc was meaningful and engrossing, albeit sad. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Homophobia, Murder, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Suicide, Child abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Excrement, and Addiction

meg_elyse's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Animal death, Body horror, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Gore, Suicide, Murder, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Drug use, War, Animal death, Confinement, Excrement, Self harm, Rape, Torture, and Vomit

4jakers18's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Incest, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child abuse, Child death, Car accident, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Terminal illness, Violence, War, Medical trauma, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Cursing, Addiction, Animal death, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

dananator13's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Suicide, Murder, Torture, Child death, and Rape

nicoleme1212's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Death, Rape, Gun violence, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Murder, Suicide, Self harm, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mass/school shootings