hailey_horror's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Car accident, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Rape, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Grief
mydistortedparadise's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
At which point. - per the authors note - I realized this was based on a true story. Which is apparently even worse, and more sickening. I cant comment on how well this book stuck to the facts as I am unfamiliar, and quite frankly I do not want to know the reality. This book was horrifying as fiction, and it feels exploitative knowing it isn’t entirely fiction.
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Blood, Torture, Sexism, Excrement, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Bullying, Confinement, Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Cursing, and Body shaming
Minor: Body shaming, Death of parent, Car accident, and Alcoholism
subkafereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexism, Alcohol, Gore, and Torture
killmoore_'s review
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
However, despite being well written and truly gut wrenching, I feel that Ketchum missed the mark on painting a true monster in Ruth. I understand that this is written through the eyes of a child, but it really just skims the surface on what motivates a person to commit these atrocities, let alone the impact a trusted adults actions have on the children in their care.
Girl Next Door is awful. It is a gruesome depiction of child abuse, grief and depravity, written in a way that is still palatable for the general public. Check your trigger warnings and prepare to have your heart broken.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Torture, Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Rape, Child death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Excrement, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
antonella_taylorsversion's review against another edition
No me entra en la cabeza que vivamos en un mundo donde las cosas escritas en este libro, si bien tienen parte de ficción, pasaron en la realidad y son cosas HORRENDAS que realmente le hicieron a una nena. Gente enferma sí las hay.
Si pudiera le daría 0 estrellas, pero le doy una para que quede asentado que NO LO RECOMIENDO y que es nefasto
Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Body horror, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Death
archaicrobin's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
From the perspective of one of the teen bystanders who is not necessarily completely innocent, the reader has an interesting perspective as the narrator explains why and how he was able to standby without intervening when such horrific things were being done.
This is not for the faint of heart, or for anyone that’s looking for a happy ending. The Girl Next Door is very bleak, and exposes the horrors that are present in our neighborhoods which should be safe. Definitely recommend this to horror fans or those interested in true crime, not for your everyday best seller reader!
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Torture, Violence, Child death, Cursing, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship
waverlyloyd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Torture, Body horror, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual content, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Self harm, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, and Violence
pinotandprose's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Excrement, Gore, Pedophilia, Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, and Violence
jadecorissamartin's review against another edition
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual assault, Car accident, Child death, Gore, Torture, Murder, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Sexual violence
inertia_ash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I can normally plow through dark books but this one… this one took some time. Knowing this is inspired by the true story of Sylvia Likens made it really hard to push through.
This was incredibly well written. It was dark, heartbreaking, stomach churning, disturbing, and felt very close to what actually happened to Sylvia.
Proceed with caution though. This was… a tough one.
Graphic: Self harm, Murder, Child death, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death, Bullying, Body shaming, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Body horror, Violence, Kidnapping, Gore, Rape, and Physical abuse