Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

32 reviews

danielvanbeethoven's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

lilbookowl's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

bkmckown's review against another edition

5.0

Im giving this 5 stars, not because I liked it, because the subject matter can’t be something anyone would LIKE. The subject matter of this book, being based on a true story, being as horrific as it is will stick with me for a long time. It left me feeling nauseous and defeated but the writing was amazing. The way the author conveyed the depravity and callousness was chilling. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

ten_telegrams's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Rape, Sexual violence, and Car accident

Minor: Infidelity and Excrement

meaghanelizabook's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Self harm, Excrement, Car accident, and Alcohol

morganmay's review against another edition

dark sad 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? No

1.0

Is you have ANY type of PTSD of basically any kind, I do not recommend this book. INCREDIBLY graphic and horrific and based on a true story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Sexual harassment

rsharpe97's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

eudoralynn's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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

4.0

Incredibly dark and hard to read. The descriptions of the abuse faced by the main character are horrific, and it’s more horrifying to know it’s based on an experience someone had to go through. I despised our narrator, and spent most of my time pulling at my hair begging for him to act. The ending was good, not the lighthearted ending anyone wanted, but it’s not a lighthearted story. Well written, kept me on my toes.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury

ximradletshuggx's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

Quality of writing:2 /5
Pace:3/5
Plot development:2/5
Characters:2/5
Enjoyability:3 (jumped from a 2 to a 3 in the last 20% of the book)/5

Time to complete:5hours

Score:2.4/5 stars

Notes:

Overrated.

Maybe I have an issue with male authors. This author struggles to write female characters, and as a female reader it’s something that jumps out to me.

I went into this book excited based on the blurb, but within the first 10% of the book or so I was seriously thinking of putting this on my DNF shelf. The writing was bland and boring and didn’t do much to bring the reader in. The narrative is too repetitive and simplistic that it just doesn’t give me anything to hold on to.

I would have much rather had a story from the point of view of Meg, Susan or hell even Ruth, instead of Davey the onlooking boy who takes no accountability and just watches things happen and goes on about the girls through eyes of sexual lust for one and disgust towards the other. His character has no personality other than being a 12 year old boy who only has sexual thoughts about his female “friend”.

It is so bland that it ruins the whole reading experience. I probably would have been better off reading an actual non-fiction book about the real life events of Sylvia Likens that this book was based off of.

The story finally gets a little bit interesting around 35% which is a little far in if you ask me, and then around 60% in the plot finally gets dark and descriptive. Around 80% in it gets pretty graphic and at this point I’m sure many people will be uncomfortable. The events in this book become jaw dropping and horrific and my heart breaks for Meg.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Kidnapping and Fire/Fire injury

kconjerti's review against another edition

dark fast-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment