Reviews

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie

_mininbooks_'s review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Eating disorder and Drug abuse

irlsora's review against another edition

1.0

first book i ever dnf, 30 pages in and i couldn’t take it anymore

incredibly slow, tries too hard to be funny, and no relatable or likable characters whatsoever

tallulah85's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

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

5.0

bookwitchva's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense 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

5.0

Had a couple twists I didn’t see coming, and while the main character is difficult to like, she drags you along and you HAVE to keep reading. The writing is smart and richly detailed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Death, Toxic friendship, and Sexual content

bethnash's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

neridah's review against another edition

dark lighthearted tense 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? Yes

3.25

Great premise, poor execution (pun intended)

The story is deeply unenjoyable but as a work of literature it certainly had an impact - our protagonist is dark and cynical in a way that is so tedious and cringe that I want to become a gregarious optimist 

The book has some attempt at class consciousness, but it's unclear if the author has ever met a poor. The protagonist grew up in abject poverty and respects how hard her mum had to work, but then also views bringing a packed lunch "a warning sign in a person over eight years old". 

meganclark's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad 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

4.5

liv209's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-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

goodbooksgreatgoats's review against another edition

3.0

Being completely honest, I am typically not drawn to this genre of books. I read this as a buddy read with a friend and we had some interesting discussions based on the book's themes/mentions of class, status, and revenge. While those things were great, the ending of the book really pulled me out of it. I was starting to really connect with and root for the main character, flaws and all. To have another person (especially a man when the book has focused on a capable woman) swoop in and solve things was frustrating.

min_franzi_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Sexual violence