Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

14 reviews

jayjm94's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

It’s a beautifully written, emotional novel about love, marriage, family, violence and a very old beach home. I read it in about 24 hours, I couldn’t put it down from the first line. With that said the plot is winding, tense, and brutal at times. I never felt like the upsetting scenes were overwrought though. The main character is flawed and makes a series of choices throughout the novel that ultimately come to make perfect sense. The ending is ambiguous, but I enjoyed it and felt it was earned.  To read this book in a beach house or even on a lake would be divine. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Ableism, Blood, Cancer, Death, Infidelity, and Misogyny

Moderate: Incest, Child abuse, Child death, and Cursing

Minor: Mental illness and Murder

serenereadssally's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I have mixed feelings about this book. Within the first 5 minutes of reading this there is an unnecessary description of child sexual abuse, just thrown in a paragraph like it’s nothing. 

This then becomes a theme throughout the book, which also includes abusive neglectful parents, animal abuse, incest, child rape, knife crime and, now seeming tame in comparison, marital infidelity. 

While I understand we should not run from these subjects I’m not sure in this case we should have run towards them. A lot of the descriptions felt gratuitous and not needed. The writing was good, hence the three stars, but this just backs up my opinion that she didn’t need to throw all this at the storyline in such a graphic way. I skipped over the sexual abuse scenes as they were truly stomach churning. 

I also felt that while I know not all stories ‘go somewhere’ the ending left me feeling very flat. But then, I wonder where it could have gone anyway. 

The character building was wonderful, the atmosphere and ambience of the back woods was delicious. She captured guilt and loss and heartbreak perfectly and I enjoyed the unusual timeline, but I feel she didn’t need all the other stuff. 

Definitely think it’s a divisive book. Would I recommend? Probably no, there are much better in this genre. Please make sure you read trigger warnings. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault

anskutiti's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad

• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexual assault, Incest, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Violence and Murder

hotgirlliterature's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault

Moderate: Violence and Child death

nahomym's review against another edition

This book was way to heavy for me, I usually look to escape in books but this had too much trauma.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Rape, and Alcohol

eulrch's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Cancer and Miscarriage

bethaniethebeast's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny reflective medium-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

4.0

Miranda Cowley Heller is an excellent writer, but sometimes this book was "prose-y" to the point of reminding me that I'm reading a book. I don't like the characters but I understand them and relate to them. This book does an excellent job of exploring generational trauma, but I have to say HUGE trigger warning for child abuse and SA, that fully caught me off guard. Overall was an interesting read and I recommend it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Child death, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

lindsayhotrod's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Infidelity, Incest, and Grief

Moderate: Cancer, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Child death, and Classism

Minor: Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Dementia, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, and Body shaming

raphynette's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cancer, Death, Rape, Child death, Violence, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Terminal illness

nicolelund's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Child death, Death, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Violence, and Pedophilia