Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

40 reviews

vexpress's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

alymccaskill's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I felt so many emotions while reading this one. It’s well written and the plot was carefully crafted. Quite the psychological thriller that leaves you asking so many questions. It engulfs you, for sure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Physical abuse

ksmo's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-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

3.5

I enjoyed most of this book, but the last part really threw me off. I'm not sure how we went from finding out the extent of all the terrible things that happened, to playing happy families at a birthday lunch? 'Oh he's just your eccentric uncle', who's still completely obsessed with a boy he met as a child, and who tried to kill virtually the entire household. It felt like the author wrote the first 3 parts, then said 'And they all lived happily ever after'.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Murder

themoodreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

denlia's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Stalking, and Pregnancy

thedragonsbookhoard's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder

readwithev's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This book sucked me in. I love all the clues Libby and Miller find that unlocked pieces of their Chelsea house history. Having three characters’ perspectives was great. It called into question how accurate each characters’ memory is/isn’t. how do they perceive and process their trauma? How does it affect them as adults?
Moreover, I enjoyed Henry’s perspective. He’s an enthralling complicated mix of a traumatized child, suppressed gay man, dark sociopath, self aware yet unapologetic, but also a manipulative narcissist. I feel connected to him, but also disgusted.
I did particularly predict some of the mystery and twists but some of them I didn’t due to the characters’ varying accounts. That is why the book doesn’t get a full 5 stars. Overall, really enjoyed it.

The book ends on a nail biting cliff hanger which I enjoyed but it also left me feeling tense.
I didn’t really enjoy the addition of Libby and Miller’s love story. It was subtle but I thought it was unnecessary. However, I did like that Libby’s adoptive mother had a chaotic lifestyle, and death of her adoptive father left her with anxious tendencies.
Though Lucy gets away with murder, it’s also closure for her. I feel okay with it even though murder is wrong. Her ex was trying to rape her, he was physically and emotionally abusive, and he was a criminal. In a sick way, it’s justice for Lucy and signals the end of her terrible life in France.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Torture

smelliek's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

ralla95's review against another edition

mysterious tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Murder

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

I had quite a good time with this book, and I kept picking it up to find out more of the story as it unfolded. I'll definitely look at this author again. I appreciated the unease of the book and not being sure if the narrators are reliable. Trauma all over the place.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal cruelty and Blood