Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup

5 reviews

daybreakreads's review against another edition

This book is awful. It's repeatedly and unnecessarily greusome, graphic, and violent. Essentially all male characters have violent sex fantasies to the point where I googled the author. He’s a self/described sadist and masochist according to his interview with a UK news agency and gets a thrill “playing God” by writing his characters. This is disgusting given the repeated mutilation, torture, and r*pe mentions. I’ve read 20+ thrillers this year, but this was just downright distasteful.

There were also a large number of negative references made against Arabs and Muslims. At first I thought it was to give context to the characters’ terrible personalities, but there was another time that was just pure narration. One person asked another a question, and the question was described being, “as riddled with mines as a supply road in the Middle East.”

Honestly, as a Muslim, I don’t care if this author doesn’t like us (I certainly would not feel comfortable being alone with him or having him around any children I know) but it didn’t affect the plot in the slightest, so it seemed strange to be constantly added.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Murder, Physical abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Child death, and Blood

Minor: Confinement, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

kendrac_117's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Infertility, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Violence, Torture, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Mental illness, and Murder

katybugggg's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

tajosima's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

So after reading this book one would think that apparently all the men are pervs and can’t see a woman without thinking of cheating on his wife with that new woman..nope, this left a bad taste in my mouth. The mystery itself was cool, but not good overall imo. And the reasons why the women were being killed also didn’t convince me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Gore, Stalking, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Confinement, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, Medical content, Body horror, Blood, Vomit, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape

cromen12's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, and Sexual violence