Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

20 reviews

cerysl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

leahthebooklover's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

3.5

Oh Kate Atkinson, you let me down this time. I was really looking forward to reading this book. One of my favorite genres (mystery/detective) by an author I have enjoyed in the past (Life After Life, A God in Ruins) - it should have been a home run. But this was a sad little story full of sad, ruined people. There were four case histories, four mysteries to be solved, and our detective, Jackson Brodie, really only "solved" one of them, maybe two. We learn the truth behind all of the cases, but sometimes the truth is revealed only to the reader, not to the characters in the book. The four cases all involve a sudden, catastrophic loss of a loved one. The losses (murders) all happened in the past, so the loved ones left behind have been bereft for a long time. There were a LOT of characters to keep track of, and some of the plot threads don't seem to make sense at first, but eventually everything falls into place. More than a mystery, this book is an exploration of loss, grief, and depression. There are lighter moments within this heavy context, but for me, they weren't enough to elevate the book to the point I could honestly say that I liked it. I did like the main character, Jackson Brodie. He may not have been the sharpest investigator, but he was very much trying to be a good man. He has plenty of flaws, but it's obvious he cares about others, in his own somewhat cynical way, and he really loves his daughter. I liked him well enough that I may try reading the second book in the series, but I'm not in a big hurry to do so. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Cursing, Fatphobia, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

Minor: Cancer, Suicide, Blood, and Religious bigotry

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.5

A good book concentrating on 3 cold cases and introducing Jackson Brodie, a private investigator looking into them. My favourite characters were Jackson himself and Theo, and I thoroughly disliked the unpleasant Land sisters. But the 3 stories interconnected in a great way. The writing was easy enough, but at times, I didn't like the pacing, finding it in parts quite slow whereas normally I like my crime novels to be un put down able. I also felt it needed further editing. I didn't understand the involvement of his young daughter that he took with him whilst he was investigating. I struggled with the rating. But I can't have disliked it that much as I've ordered the next book in the series from the library

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder

jadiedaffodil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

aileron's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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 death, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Infertility, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Stalking, and Death of parent

aprica's review against another edition

dark mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Violence, Stalking, and Murder

Minor: Suicide attempt

trilobite's review against another edition

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

2.0

All of the characters in this book were horrid except for the missing child. I regret the time I wasted reading this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

mlv5ff's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.75

Very slow. In the end I felt like things were obvious and didn't need so much time put into telling the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Incest, Mental illness, and Rape

rowanrelph's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious 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: Death, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

jenn_reads's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt