Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

117 reviews

embersbooknook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book surprised me in so many ways - as such, hard to get my thoughts wrapped around it.  Interesting, thought provoking, and intense.  Would recommend to anyone looking for a good gothic read with a gritty, real world feel.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident and Classism

Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

a lot of the graphic stuff has to do with the resolution of the book, which due to the history of slavery, and Eleanor being forced to marry her uncle. Some of this stuff was disturbing, although not horribly graphic - just disturbing as a general idea. Important to note, I feel, as a sensitive reader.

A lot of the stuff around slavery, racism, slurs, lesbophobia, etc. was very brief but felt important to mention. Also some definite police intimidation that didn’t go all the way to brutality. This is a gritty read for sure - I am a pretty sensitive reader, and was able to get through it. But definitely read when you’re in the mood for this. I thought the difficult topics were handled well and sensitively by the author.

kelisabeth's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

glassarrow917's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

_david_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book reminds me of Life is Strange 3: True Colors. If you enjoyed either, you will also enjoy the other.

I thoroughly enjoyed the logic used by the characters in the book. If they're acting irrational or making assumptions, they're aware of it and/or it's challenged later on. For a second I thought a cliché (key location hidden in plain sight) would be dragged out, but then a main character just plainly said "of course I already looked there, duh" a few pages later.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the house. It reminded me of Encanto's house but in a horror setting. You'll probably enjoy the characters if you like YA's. They have a lot of growth to do with big impacts of their lives. At certain moments, the main character's self-pity annoyed me and

she never seemed to get that it was selfish to push so much of her own identity and values onto her brother

. Some of the antagonists are just almost pure evil without nuance, so you'll have to be okay with that.

The big lessons are a bit obvious in the book, but the main character actually points it out and sounds like she needs it, so I don't mind it as much.

A warning to people with trauma related to drowning or corruption (e.g. being blackmailed). Both are big themes in the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, and Slavery

Drowning, water Mines, claustrophobia Corruption: blackmailing, bribing, rich people fucking over local area/nature/people for the sake of earning more money

tessamariee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this read. It had an interesting storyline and I love the house so so much. The resolution felt a little rushed compared to the rest of it. It had some dark, emotional events but all of the commentary and relationship dynamics lightened the mood of it. Very much (like exactly) a chosen family novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Cursing, Gore, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Addiction and Vomit

abicaro17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Holy shit. Harrow is a magician with words and I am legit blown away every-time I read a book of hers. This is a (very) slow burn but it's worth it. Opal works in a small town trying to support her little brother but she keeps having these dreams about the local historical house. As Opal tries to work out the history of the house she meets Arthur Starling, owner of the house, who offers her a job. It's too good for Opal to pass up, but as thing's grow stranger Opal struggles to determine truth from fiction. Alix E. Harrow is one of those storytellers who surprises you with every book. This book make me laugh, cry, and love. It was twisty, fun, and beautiful. Another Harrow banger! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

I actually really fucking enjoyed this???? Funny, sad, tense, mystical, with a smigde of vengefulness… delicious book 

Opal was a funny as shit protagonist, and Arthur was so sad and pathetic in a very cute way. I love when men are described as ugly and annoying at first sight but by the end of the book your heart is like vVvVvV. do you get me 

I also loved the narrative style; things were kept from Opal, but not from the reader; Arthur’s chapters were deliciously revealing while Opal still went 100mph towards answers. Loved it.

Jasper was sweet and made my older sister heart grow 3 sizes. your baby brother that you spent so long protecting becoming a protector in his own right is so !!! the sibling relationship was everything 

Eleanor… my unhinged queen and ally white woman… incredible work 

the funky little lesbians also made my day, Opal being the most oblivious straight to ever het only added to her charm lmao

10/10 read, buying this is print but thank you to BCPL for the ebook <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Incest, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, Car accident, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Racism and Xenophobia

annamorgan27's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content

lianaet's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

The genre of this book isn't something I'd normally pick up, but something about this book just drew me to it.

And weirdly in the nature of this book, that just makes sense.

The unsettling vibes of the writing were amazing and just sucked me right in all the way through. It felt slow to progress but never in a bad way. And Opal as a flawed woman protagonist was an amazing character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Death of parent

Moderate: Death, Racism, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Incest and Vomit

tspice24's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail