Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

41 reviews

bookmark3brodi's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

mombond's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Family Upstairs was a twisty and captivating book. The changing points of view and time periods were confusing. Some of the characters were so disturbing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

peeshpish's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

It was a slow start but once it picks up, it moves fast. The story flows well once the three POVs become more closely intertwined & the connections are more clear. There are many twists & turns along the way, & the story continues to develop until the very last sentence. Libby’s POV is an often needed relief from the heaviness of the other two, much less tense but still moves the story forward. Many characters felt flat or aligned with stereotypes that I’d expect more from a book written earlier than one written in 2019, but I still ended up reading most of the book in one sitting so I was definitely invested.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Infertility, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Lucy’s chapters are heavy with

sexual assault & domestic violence. She is raped & murders her attacker. If it helps to know, she is not punished for killing him.

The chapters set in the past (labelled “Chelsea, [year]”) contain a lot lf

child abuse, domestic violence, & are where most of the content warnings come into play.

Libby’s chapters are generally safe for content, mostly vague details about the fate & story of the people who lived in the house she inherits.

jaydub0221's review against another edition

adventurous 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

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Deportation

rjwilliams911's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

sabbcm's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Stalking, and Pregnancy

our_bookish_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Not amazing, but not awful.
Told in multiple POV, altering timelines.

The story, as far as characters, got muddled and very confusing because there were so many in play during the  parts in the past. I did not see the thing with Michael coming! I liked how it happened and that it did. I feel bad for the kids in the past and present and the hardships growing up, no kid should have to endure any of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

brynhayes's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

crosberg's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

arthur_ant18's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Animal death and Blood