Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

31 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.

michaelion's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

Take a shot every time you see "Not really." So, about 5 shots.

Very good. Read it in two sittings, same day. Wasn't too creepy or scary, I was just as curious as the mc. Maybe men CAN be good writers... we shall see with the sequels!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Rape, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Murder, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Confinement

Minor: Cancer and Gun violence

gotnoculture's review

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Cancer, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Minor: Suicide

ajay913's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Terminal illness and Cancer

arayo's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Death, Gaslighting, and Gun violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, and Cancer

sophieamreacher's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Strange and intriguing, I just had to keep reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cancer, Gore, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Confinement, Abandonment, Death, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, and Suicide

jessiejonesbentley's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Grief

kurumipanda's review

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Death

Moderate: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Cancer and War

emilywemily6's review

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

This was weird. And I guess that’s the point of it. It wasn’t as eerie and haunting as I thought it would be, but it definitely had both those tones in a mild way. I have so many questions and I think this book will plague my thoughts for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

znvisser's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

Went into this book knowing I wouldn’t get any answers and therefore I was able to enjoy this wonderful, weird experience. Usually not a fan of scenery descriptions but the writing and/or biology perspective certainly made it more interesting. Throughout I was speculating along with the biologist (and at some point, hallucinating with her too, reading one of my ideas into it and realising later I misread) and formed many theories that may or may not be true. Very intriguing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Gore

Moderate: Grief, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cancer