Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Apt Pupil by Stephen King

5 reviews

sloan_emmi92's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense fast-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

3.75

   I honestly don’t even know what to rate this book because how can I rate something that put me in shock after I read it? Like I sat there staring at it wondering how I was not gonna think about what I read.
   Stephen King is an extremely, extremely talented author, especially because he made me visibly wanna gag throughout this book. I’ve never read anything like this, so maybe it’s just my first time reading a genuinely dark and disturbing novel. I think the thing that truly scared me about this was it was circling an event that actually happened that I’ve learned so much about and is so incredibly devastating. 
   I knew this book was gonna be scary but it definitely exceeded the expectations. And that ending!!!! It was so unexpected and the things that were revealed throughout the book, I never would’ve guessed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Antisemitism, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Genocide, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child death

nicole_cob_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and War

midnightspell's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, and Murder

Minor: War

kawooreads's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This novella was originally part of the book Different Seasons by King but Libby offers it as a standalone audio. I recall seeing the movie starring Brad Renfro and Ian McKellen over twenty years ago but have never read the story. The book is far creepier and sadistic than the film, and King excels at writing psychopathic inner dialogue and capturing how people descend into chaos. That being said, this may be one of those rare moments that the film is better than the book. Once again I think it comes down to my feelings about King's writing style and the choices he makes. I also felt the big finale ending was rushed and abrupt, considering how many pages King dedicated to the two main characters bickering and being moody toward each other.  I recommend it if you want to be creeped out by a teenager's macabre curiosity in addition to an old German Nazi concentration camp interrogator describing the atrocities he committed in his life. This kind of tale is not for everyone, but if you enjoy a dark story you should give this one a shot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Antisemitism, Murder, and Toxic friendship

aasplund's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Medical content