Reviews tagging 'Death'

Sundial by Catriona Ward

89 reviews

biddibee's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-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

4.25

What an interesting book! I loved the unique and beautiful setting. Catriona Ward does unreliable narratore like nobody else. What's real? Who's who? And that ending! I audibly gasped. The neverending suspense!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

sykamor's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book has two things I don't really like in books: the past being a large part of the story and a novel or story being written by a character and told within the story. These two things usually take me out of the story and they made this book a little disappointing for me. I thought the characters were interesting but definitely not really likable, except Callie. The twists were decent. I just got a little bored and I was disappointed that the characters we were presented with didn't really go anywhere in the present. 
The story the main character writes is also a little cringey and I didn't enjoy those parts. 

Not my favorite but, it was interesting enough to finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol

dysfunctile's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder

jfren's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting

phantomgecko's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

A braided novel! One strand the mother, one strand the daughter, one strand the past, and one strand a novel within the novel.

It's got its little twists and turns and mysterious aura, so that's all fun. I figured most of the little mysteries before the official reveals, but I was also wrong along the way. Definitely a creepy book.

A little different look at the abusive husband trope.

i.e. the husband is definitely abusive and sucks fr, but Rob is legit a psychopath so she can give him what he deserves and still be the protagonist.

Also, I loved the ambiguous ending. What happens next? You decide! And also...........what's the deal with the contacts that may or may not exist. Love that bit. I think Rob really is Rob, personally, but maybe not! Maybe Rob is really Jack and lied about how the story ends. We'll never know!

My only complaint was the little novel bits. I thought they were kinda pointless but I understand the value they actually gave.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

kds247's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was well written and had some really interesting twists

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child death

laneychaney's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility

sarah_bettina's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

jesselyn's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

lionfish_22's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail