Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly

34 reviews

rayne_fall's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

wrenl's review against another edition

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

3.5

I’m not sure why I thought this would be like the 39 Clues series, aka a hunt for the bones, but I did. I didn’t expect a family drama, although I probably should have given the blurb. Regardless, I was engrossed. I was along for the drama. There were moments when I gasped out loud. The scandal! The tea!

It was really interesting that the story was across timelines and multiple perspectives. I understand why it uses multiple perspectives and timelines, but they muddy the story. It is a bit hard to get attached to any character, especially the parents Lal, Bridget, Frank, and Cora because their perspectives are so one-sided and blatant about their meaning. There were a few times I liked this structure, though. I did like the multiple perspectives for the Intimacies exhibit section because it ramps up tension with each person’s tiny bit of the story. The tension doesn’t really pan out when someone is straight up told what happened, though.

The actual plot is just okay. It is a very twisty and dramatic story, but there aren’t strong emotional moments like you’d expect from an intergenerational trauma story.

But honestly I just wanted a hint for bones.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual assault

capacitorofflux's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This book was one whip-lash after the other (in a good way). Did not see half of the ending twists coming. Draws together each thread brilliantly.

Random brief mentions of Covid could have been removed. Did nothing for the story and stopped being mentioned around halfway through. Felt like they were just thrown in for no good reason.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Suicide and Pandemic/Epidemic

kayleejanes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Pedophilia, Suicide, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Abortion

my_a's review against another edition

dark tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Abandonment

joanasimao's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicide, Abortion, and Murder

olympiaharvey's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Murder, and Toxic friendship

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

4.25

I enjoyed this book, so I loved that it had a book within it, a book crafted with puzzles and clues to find bones scattered about the country. Added to this, it's a story of dysfunctional families, the Lallys, and the Churchers. Nell is the main character, but it does switch between characters and timelines. At times Nell is likeable, at others she is very annoying but a product if her own upbringing when followers of the book took clues to far and tried to cut her pelvis out believing thats where the final bone is hidden. There are lots of  twists and different themes, so I am sure different readers will get different things from the book. It's  part mystery, part psychological thriller, it is long book, but engaging so I found myself finding time for it throughout the day. Good stuff

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Abortion

benmilo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

This book started quite slow. I knew the story would be about a crime, but the first like 150 pages were establishing the families and the history and stuff. I didn't mind tho, I enjoyed Kelley's writing style. And I'm glad I sticked with the book, because when the whole crime and mystery began to unravel, I was absolutely hooked. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Infidelity, Violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Suicide

Minor: Abortion, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic