Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The House of Ashes by Stuart Neville

4 reviews

keenanmaree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, and Dementia

jess_ica_c's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Minor: Child death, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Sara Keane moves to Northern Ireland with her husband, Damien. This is where Damien grew up & his mysterious father lives in the area & has bought a house for his son. Sara soon comes to realise that this is not about a new start, but about isolating her from her friends & family, & Damien has started to become controlling & abusive. The house is almost finished being renovated, but there are mysterious red marks which keep appearing no matter how much Sara cleans them. One night soon after they move in, a old woman knocks on the door & tells them that she lives there & is looking for her sister, Esther. Damien takes the old woman, Mary, back to her care home, but Sara has an uneasy feeling that Mary knows about what happened at the house in the past, & discovers that they have a lot in common.

This is a well-written book, with a thought-out plot, but the misogynistic violence is difficult to read in parts. The narrative alternates between Sara in the present, & Mary back when she was a young child, & personally I would have preferred a more definitive ending. I also don't like being ambushed by animal death, & there was some (mercifully quick) in the first chapter which almost put me off reading the rest of the book. It was worth carrying on in this case, & I will definitely be checking out the author's other books.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Child death and Miscarriage

Minor: Animal death and Rape

raireads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia