Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

142 reviews

avilareads's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

i have never read a book that follows a main character with such corrupt morality. this novel truly delves into the psyche of someone who seeks the power of a god, and what that does to a human being. it was dark and brutal, and deeply insane at some parts. 

i definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a novel that is told mostly from the point of a villain-adjacent character. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Murder, Animal cruelty, Gore, Rape, Suicide, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Blood, Drug abuse, Body horror, and Genocide

Minor: Death of parent, War, Genocide, and Gun violence

blessjessmess's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I added 10 graphic TW to my review for this book. Its weird. I don't feel like this is a book I would like....but I loved this book. It was so unique and different to most horror stories (which I normally don't read.) 

I believe this book would be served better by the genre tag WEIRD FICTION. It's marketed as horror but it's not the type of horror you expect from a horror novel. Anyway, fun read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Rape, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Animal death

szyca's review against another edition

adventurous 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Animal death, Slavery, Drug use, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child death, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Alcohol, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Violence, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Gun violence

jamie_rich's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

This book was strange as hell. And needs to have *all* the trigger warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Death of parent, Car accident, Confinement, Murder, Gore, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and War

read_bransdon's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Grief, Murder, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Gore

Minor: Rape, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and War

readandfindout's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

3.5

Style/writing: 3.5 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 2 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 3.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Death, Murder, Suicide, Rape, Blood, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Gore, Torture, Child death, Body horror, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

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.

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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

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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

katturkey's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-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? Yes

4.5

Wrapped up nicely, with enough unexplained pieces to give hints of a mysterious larger world. Gory with traditional pieces and pieces not often seen. Funny.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, and Animal death

katjacatbeans's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is a weird book. I really enjoy some of the concepts but the execution sometimes loses me. I don't regret reading it but I'm glad to be done with it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Murder, Animal death, Drug use, and War