Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

11 reviews

lunahbee's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• 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? Yes

3.0

Listen. This book is a tough read. Not because of the writing but because of the subject matter. That said, I did enjoy this book because of how many emotions it brought up in me. Most of them not pleasant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Blood, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Self harm, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Pedophilia

Listen to the warnings (Dead Dove Do Not Eat)

mydistortedparadise's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

Check trigger warnings. I went into this book blind - I knew it was a horror book but didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into. It feels wrong to rate this book because of the content - I can’t bring myself to comment on anything else. Despite making my stomach turn, regularly, it felt like a car crash that I couldnt look away from and had to see through the end.  
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. 

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Content Warnings

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

killmoore_'s review

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

I was very familiar with the Sylvia Likens case going in to the girl next door, and honestly, I was grateful that Ketchum took it upon himself to narrate the novel in a way that left the most gruesome details to the imagination - what happened to Sylvia was truly terrible, and to describe in detail what happened through a work of fiction would, in a way, be disrespectful.

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

devinjai6655's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is DARK. I was prepared going into it but please be aware of how absolutely gut wrenching this book is. Do not read this without checking trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Incest, Rape, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Torture, Confinement, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Child death

Moderate: Blood, Body shaming, and Gaslighting

Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Excrement

priscillarobock's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, and Death of parent

Minor: Excrement

stardustdreamer's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Torture, Blood, Gore, Grief, Bullying, Excrement, Murder, Gaslighting, Rape, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Car accident, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

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

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Content Warnings

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

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

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Content Warnings

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

lookingformysax's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.75

The book is beautifully written. I’ve read some intense books, but the problem with this one is -knowing- that it is based on a true story. Halfway through the book I had to set the book down and take a breather, pay my respects, etc. The only reason this book isn’t 5 stars is because of putting it down. The author did exactly what he should have-pushed the envelopes further than ever before. There were some parts though that were just too graphic, since this happened to a minor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Torture, and Violence

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

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Content Warnings

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