Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

63 reviews

madelinequinnee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

Utterly heartbreaking 

I picked up this book after researching the Sylvia Likens’ case and finding out this was based on it. I think this did a pretty good job fictionalising the case whilst still educating you on what happened. 

Each scene was absolutely gripping and disturbing, but i think the thing that got me the most was that Meg’s younger sister Susan had to witness her sister’s abuse and was physically unable to do anything about it. She was there til the very end, even witnessing her death, and that just really broke my heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

charrock's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

princess413's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Based off of real events that are beyond disturbing. It made me want to jump into the story and give Ruth a taste of her own medicine. This book will leave you feeling sick, sad, horrified. Like watching a trainwreck and not able to look away.  Read trigger warnings, not for everyone. Very hard to stomach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

abihickford's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

ericasbookshelves's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

What a dark book, seriously not for the faint of heart. I actually think I made a mistake listening to the audiobook as once i got further into the book, it was difficult to listen to because of the content and I think reading it would have made it slightly easier. Trigger warnings for literally everything, this is easily the most disturbing book I’ve ever read, it’s based off the Sylvia Likens case which is an absolutely horrendous case of abuse, torture and murder. This isn’t an easy read, both because of the subject matter and  the writing, it’s  very abrupt, blunt, and makes you feel like you’re there, which works in the exact way I imagine Ketchum wanted it to. This made me feel disgusted and angry,  I wanted to scream at multiple points while reading it and  some scenes are absolutely burned into my mind.  Overall, this is an incredibly well executed book that I’m hesitant to recommend to anyone, if you do choose to read it.. be prepared, this will stick with you

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

dadcalves's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, and Murder

alexlouise97's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Fatphobia, Car accident, and Death of parent

plainjanethebookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

oktrouble1401213's review

challenging dark sad tense 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

5.0

It feels horrific to give a book like this 5 stars. This book made me feel sick multiple times. But it’s a story that deserves to be told and I don’t think the writing could have been any more perfect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and Murder

elderdragon_reader's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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? Yes

3.5

This book is not for the faint of heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Blood, Excrement, and Death of parent