Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

47 reviews

louiepotterbook's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

frankensteinscreature's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

1.5

I have rather conflicting feelings about this book, I picked it up as a blind date with a book and it’s not something I would usually gravitate towards. I think the writing style was objectively bad but it did draw me in (I suppose that is what thrillers are supposed to do). It could have been good if not for the horrendously stereotypical and frankly homophobic depictions of the one queer character clearly written by a straight woman that does not like gay men. The sort of predatory relationship that she wanted for the story did not need to manifest itself in such a homophobic way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

loonysaurus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Torture, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Abortion, and Deportation

h_elene's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Religious bigotry

kimveach's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Dark and disturbing but a good thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

antireading'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? Yes

3.0

I saw most of the twists coming but there was one in particular that got me good.

I enjoyed the cult aspects and the storytelling style

but I do not understand the narrative device of

Henry's narration. He is writing to Libby yet he is mentions the lies he told her at the end. And I couldn't tell if it was a journal or what the framing of it was.

I was enjoying it up until around 80ish% when we find out

Henry has been lying about most things.

While I figured that was the case, I didn't like the extent to what it was,

and hate the fact that the villain is a predatory gay man. That is an overdone and harmful trope and the fact that Henry assaults and harasses Phin and how that is the source of the conflict is gross.

It's a shame because before that, I would have rated it MUCH higher. After reading the description of the next book, I don't think I will continue with the sequel. I don't really care for that mystery to be solved knowing who did it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Miscarriage, Blood, Abortion, and Pregnancy

littlepelkey20's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, and Abortion

sofiam19's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, and Abortion

sksumbera's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, and Blood

mpolidori's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Rape, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy