Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Dry by Jane Harper

54 reviews

xiekaili's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Gun violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Vomit

kirnet's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

This book is well written, and the author did a good job of really tying the setting of a rural Australian town in a drought to every bit of tension and motivation in the story. I wasn’t too invested in the main character or his personality, but I don’t necessarily need to be for a mystery. Two mysteries are happening here, and both kept me engaged, but the reveal for both fell flat for me. I think that’s probably to do with the shifting POVs within chapters, where we get to see exactly went down television-style rather than Falk actually puzzling through it himself, which I feel hurt my connection to the character. Overall an enjoyable read, impressive for a debut (I think this is a debut), and I’d be down to read more books by this author in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Child abuse

racheldallaire's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved it. Sometimes time-hopping is irritating to me, but Harper did a great job of making it work very well and in a way that moved the plot along perfectly. It kept me guessing and the ending was satisfying. The characters were well developed and I'll keep reading the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

bek_p87's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was excellent. The landscape was tangible, the tension gripping, the people real. The horrors numerous and grounded in real life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse

msagerber's review against another edition

dark 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, and Death

Moderate: Dementia, Animal death, Sexual assault, and Incest

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-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? Yes

3.75

This is a story set in a drought in a rural Australian town where a double-murder/suicide has just happened. The cops, not being satisfied with that story start up an off-books investigation that unravels all of this small town’s secrets. I really liked the premise and all of the twists and turns, but the pacing was a little slow for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

dreadpiraterudis's review against another edition

dark 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, and Murder

alicia_g's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Good consistent plot- just would have liked more of actually the explanation of the murders. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Dementia, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Animal death

ginger95's review against another edition

dark tense 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

4.75

This was a mystery that I could not put down, and I finished in one day. I was deeply invested in the main character, and the bits of the past that were intertwined with the present.

I wasn't expecting who the killer was at all, and it really took me off guard! I did feel like there was a disconnect about Luke, I mean it was implied he was a manipulator/sociopath? and I feel like they built it up a little too much to be a red herring. Other than that great read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Child death

Moderate: Gun violence and Animal death

Minor: Incest, Animal cruelty, and Rape

mollyfischfriedman's review against another edition

dark 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Murder, Death, Child abuse, and Violence

Minor: Vomit