Reviews tagging 'Grief'

One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke

24 reviews

bringmybooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

3.25

If you’re looking for a summer thriller, you’ve found it!

B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷

One of my favorite things about reading thrillers is how much a 3 star “liked it” book is a perfectly lovely and fun and wonderful way to pass the time, especially during the summer.

I love thrillers with short chapters and multiple POVs where everyone has something to hide, and this fit the bill so well! I especially love when I’m genuinely surprised by things and this one got me a couple times so honestly it’s a win! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

vjlp22_reader's review against another edition

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Grief, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Death and Pregnancy

theresa_ac's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Female friendship, trauma, bachelorette party, intruige, suspense, girl's trip

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief, and Pregnancy

Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Murder, and Abandonment

reading_ani's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Lucy Clarke…. She’s quickly becoming one of my fav thriller authors. Just.. wow! I admit she’s excellent in creating red herrings! And though I guessed one mystery right very quickly, I missed so many others and was audibly gasping and talking to the book towards the end! It’s such a fantastic read and I highly recommend it! Also, always remember the third and most important rule: what happens at the hen party, stays there! 🤐🤐

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death, Rape, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Murder

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

dorsetreader's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

ccassidy98's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

froggybooks's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Eating disorder, Blood, Stalking, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Lesbophobia

bookswithgeorgia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

gofortori's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Well-crafted. If I needed to choose one word to describe One of the Girls, that's the one I'd use.    The quality of the writing is what pushed me over the edge for a 5-star rating. Dark and atmospheric, with a deeply developed cast of complicated female protagonists with haunting, emotional backstories that all collide in a beautifully exotic location, I would have been hooked on this story even if the writing was mediocre. This book is billed as a psychological thriller, which it is, but it's also a deep exploration into female friendships, the power of being both strong and vulnerable, and the haunting cycles we find ourselves in until we break the circle by being honest with ourselves and those we love. 

That ENDING! I actually gasped, and also cried. And the last line – chef's kiss. I also appreciate the representation of neurodivergence, PTSD and mental illness, postpartum body change, queer selfhood and relationships, etc. 

Each of the six women has a detailed character history and feel as textured as real people. The author clearly put a lot of work into getting to know her own characters, and it shows. I want to give each one a big hug. 

I loved the constant presence of the sea and the terrace throughout the tale, always looming, just like the secrets each woman brings to the hen weekend. But only as events unfold do we realize their significance. 

The cyclical nature of the story focuses on righting past wrongs instead of letting them happen over and over again.

Lexi's struggle with her parents' marriage and father's distance, Eleanor and Sam's right marriage that didn't happen ending up preventing Lexi's and Ed's marriage that shouldn't, past Robyn with past Bella setting the stage for current Robyn and current Fen, Eleanor finally getting her peace from saving the person who was responsible for her loss, past Ana and current Ana taking back her power, Eleanor saving bride-to-be Lexi the way she should have been saved as a bride-to-be, Luca's past easing Wren's future, and so on.

All the shame the women focus inward for so long, it all leads back to the presence of male entitlement and existing in a world dominated by male choice. The themes dealt with femininity and womanhood and selfhood and self-denial and finding the inner courage to break your pattern by saving someone else and finding your own worth in the process.

Lucy Clarke has a lovely style that makes this story a pleasure to read, engaging as a thriller, and deeply satisfying as a feminist exploration.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, and Grief

Minor: Biphobia, Bullying, and Emotional abuse