Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

7 reviews

theirgracegrace's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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? No

4.25

Annihilation starts off with a series of questions, but its ending does not answer them to incredible effect. The plot centres around an expedition of four scientists who are the twelfth expedition to a place called Area X, where a strange historical event has led to the complete removal of human civilization. What this "human civilization" is replaced with, and what the four uncover about each other, tells a harrowing tale about what it means to be human. 

I was recommended this by a friend who was into biology, and I can definitely say it was a worthy recommendation! I read it all in a handful of sittings over the course of twenty-four hours and this was because I could not put it down. Each revelation is followed by something even more tense and terrifying, and the ending leaves so much unanswered...leading nicely into a second and third book. An amazing read, all in all!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Alcoholism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Death, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Suicide and Cursing

One of the characters uses hypnosis on the others, including a (ineffectual) command to kill themselves.

wispy_reviews's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book made me feel unsafe like nothing else has.  Every moment in the narrative was uncomfortable, nerve racking, and terrifying in a way I’d never seen before.
An easy recommendation for anyone interested in cosmic horror and wanting to branch out of H.P. Lovecraft; where Lovecraft decided to abstain from direct description to allow the reader’s imagination to run wild Vandermeer doesn’t let you rest with oppressively detailed descriptions of horrors that you wish were unknown.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

msradiosilence's review

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Self harm, Body horror, Confinement, Grief, Murder, Suicide, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Suicide attempt, Violence, Cursing, Death, and Sexual content

jjjreads's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Violence

rickvsthebooksagenda's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, Alcohol, and Cancer

darbo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was eerie, haunting, yet also creepy and fascinating in a weird but good way. It follows the 12th expedition into what is known as Area X, the internal struggles between the expedition members, as well as traces and glimpses into past lives of not only our main character, the biologist, but also of what Area X might’ve once been before, and what remains of that. In this ever changing landscape, we follow our character(s) through what can only be described as a “mindf**k”, and we, as the reader, begin to loose track of what’s real and what isn’t. I’m truly stunned and impressed by this book, the writing beautiful and vivid in a manner that resembles that of a classic, yet comprehensible, making it easy to understand for everyone. In my books, this is a modern classic. My compliments to the chef. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Violence

Minor: Cancer, Mass/school shootings, and Torture

madarauchiha's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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? Yes

5.0

 ❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜  my about / byf / CW info carrd: uchiha-madara 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡 ❤️

Ignore that lil bitch that says '195 pages'. This shit sticks to your esophagus on the way down. Take your time.

I liked how clinical the prose is, yet it's still enticing and draws you in. The writing is fantastic and lyrical, and I love the tiny glimmers of personality for each character. I loved the gentle use of fungi / plant horror. I appreciate the uncommon creepiness of using natural, organic materials and twisting it into something uncanny and horrifying. I wouldn't class this as straight up horror, more scifi than anything.

content warnings:
minor insects, suicide, guns, drowning, marital infidelity, suicide ideation, blood, animal death, 

medium cancer, insects, alcohol use, injuries, blood, bone fractures, military, 

major unreality, guns, death, manipulation, mind control?, gun violence, gore, body horror, death, 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Body horror

Moderate: Cancer, Alcohol, and Blood

Minor: Suicide, Gun violence, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Animal death