Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

91 reviews

crose683's review against another edition

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challenging 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? It's complicated

4.5


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luxxltyd's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0


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billub's review against another edition

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

1.25

(This review has no spoilers, but do not read it if you want to go into the book completely blind.)

Not to be rude but I am convinced the only people that have enjoyed this book either agree with Grace's terrible views or are so boring that any rude comment made in a book is the funniest thing they have ever read. But let's make one thing clear; this is not a "good for her" revenge story or even complex criticism of the current state of society. This book reads like an insecure teen making crude and edgy jokes to fit in with the cool kids and fails miserably even in that attempt.

I understand people that overlook the main character's many flaws because she is meant to be unlikeable and a murderer. I love a complex narrative with unlikable characters, but not if it means I have to subject myself to reading a self-centered, self-righteous asshole be rude and bigotted for 300 pages. And the book tries so hard to make us root for her, which is really painful to read. 

In the worst way possible, this book reminds me of Fight Club (the book). I can't call rude statements made by a main character with a superiority complex good criticism of society. 

As a young, painfully queer feminist, I am definitely not the target audience. Good for you if you are and if you enjoyed the book. 

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becky_catherine's review against another edition

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

3.25


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rhea_elsa's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Really enjoyed until the last chapter 

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alexan08's review against another edition

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

2.5


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flojenkins's review against another edition

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dark funny 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? Yes

3.5


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aliciachauhan_'s review against another edition

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dark funny informative 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? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25


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jennifer1130's review against another edition

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

2.0

I've likely judged this book more harshly that I might otherwise because of the heavy pushing of this book to me via social media adverts by the publisher. Having said that the absolutely max it deserves is 3 stars on a good day.

What a disappointment. The premise of this book is interesting, killing your whole family for revenge but there is nothing clever nor interesting about this story. Instead it trawls laboriously through dull plot and follows the format of basic intro to, this is how I killed person 1, this is how I killed person 2, person 3 etc. With a few brief flip backs to the present day where the main character Grace is in prison and is writing her diary style story. The diary style story really irritated me with its 'need to go now' endings. Who has time to write that in a diary when there's something you actually need to go for??

I didn't really believe at any point that I was in the mind of someone capable of killing 6 people. It felt like a fictional story. A highly unlikely one. The particular low point involved an uncle in a sex club while Grace rants about feminism and the privilege of the white man. 

I have no idea how this book got such a big marketing budget. It's just cheap throwaway rubbish. Such a shame. I just expected and needed more.

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rebeccaquinton's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0


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