Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

25 reviews

everyotherpageorso's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This is hands down my favorite book of all time!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Incest

Minor: Ableism and Infidelity

mariebrunelm's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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

4.25

When I decided to gift this book to a friend, I thought I might as well re-read it before parting with it. Dear me, I had forgotten how dark it was! But it's also a very elegant book, for reasons I can't quite point to.
The story is that of Margaret, a antique book seller who dabbles in biography writing for unknown people of the 19th century. One day she receives a very special invitation in the post: Vida Winter, the most famous writer of her generation, asks her to write her biography after years of misleading journalists about her past. There ensues a story about the stories we tell ourselves, those that shape us and those that we hide. It's an extremely dark character study of two women shaped by trauma and grief for things they can't always identify. But it's also a fabulous hommage to the power of literature.
Rep: lesbian MC.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Excrement, Grief, Terminal illness, and Vomit

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Incest

gardenstparker's review

dark mysterious relaxing sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Incest, Rape, and Grief

Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Ableism

paolina's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Prose a little too purple for me, plot a little too plodding, and drama a bit too messy for me to enjoy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Vomit, Drug use, and Dementia