The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
kendrac_117's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Violence, Torture, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Mental illness, and Murder
clarabooksit's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Murder, Rape, Child death, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Violence, Kidnapping, Body horror, Racism, Sexism, Misogyny, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Torture, Alcoholism, Stalking, Mental illness, and Gore
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
kyra_joy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The characters were all pretty typical of your classic CSI/ criminal minds show but more enjoyable as the length of it allowed for so much for detail.Â
I always enjoy reading books set in other parts of the world so I really loved it for that aspect.
And the mystery in my opinion really caught me off guard! I am normally pretty good at figuring out endings but this one was a complete surprise.Â
Definitely will be reading more from this author!
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Sexual violence, Confinement, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Torture, Violence, Domestic abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Rape
sarakuba's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Rape, Animal death, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Murder, Violence, Blood, Grief, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse, Car accident, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, and Islamophobia
katybugggg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Body horror and Torture
Moderate: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Stalking, Death, Gore, Islamophobia, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Rape, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
jettaparadis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Gore, Blood, Torture, Body horror, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Car accident, Stalking, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Pedophilia
essie__reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Please be advised to look up content warnings!!!!!!
Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Grief, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Child death, Alcohol, Confinement, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Alcoholism, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Stalking, Violence, Torture, Trafficking, and Vomit
fbzcab's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Sexual violence
deezy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Torture, and Violence
in_love_with_bookish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
Grief is love made homeless
To keep it short, The Chestnut Man is a serial killer story with so many familiar points and beats. It is disturbing, It follows a frustrating but somehow predictable path and it fails at portraying the different issues with sensitivity and nuances.
I think the tone works perfectly well and I think the author knows how to create a sinister atmosphere full of dread and danger. The book was just too frustrating and too long to do the mystery elements justice. And let’s not even talk about the problems with the characters and how those disturbing heartbreaking issues were handled.
The story starts with a very unsettling and gruesome scene that sets the tone for the rest of the book. We have a serial killer on the loose called the chestnut man and a pair of detectives with a lot of differences that need to be put aside if they want a chance at capturing the madman.
I think what drove me nuts was how every single detective except the main guy was either an idiot or just a selfish asshole. It was so frustrating how everyone was running around in circles missing every clue they have and really hindering the process of the investigation causing more lives to be lost. The main character was the only one capable of actually seeing the clues of what they were. The others were a bunch of incompetent assholes who has nothing to do but halt any progress made. This conflict between the main character and the others felt really frustrating and repetitive and it just tainted the story for me. I do not enjoy following stupid characters, especially in mysteries.
Hess had long thought of death with indifference. Not because he hated life, but because existence was painful.
I also find the story to be really traumatic and horrifying. It was so dark for me at times, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The story deals with Child abuse and it does not shy away from very troubling, heartbreaking gruesome details. The book was so dark it felt at times cruel to me and I just feel like child abuse was used as a means to an end in this book. I think the book could’ve been more sensitive about this particular issue and how it was presented to us. I felt it was done more as a shocking element than as an important issue that needs more depth and compassion.
I just felt so cold reading this book, the writing was too dry, the way a lot of things were written left me feeling really upset and every time I think the characters were getting their shit together, they disappoint me again. I also knew where the story was going and how the author was going to handle some of the themes of the book and I’m extremely disappointed. (view spoiler) All in all, this was really a profoundly horrible experience for me. I may never read a book by this author again, This one was enough to scar me for life.Â
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence