Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

94 reviews

httpscl0d4gh's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

roveronez's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

The begining is very disturbing, then it gets interesting, then it gets WTF??? The story starts stretching indefinitely, it becomes a bit hard to follow some events as the author takes her sweet time to continue some parts left suspended, and then close to the end some very nonsense things take place and I wondered "why put this in the story?". The whole thing with Susie and Ruth and Ray next to the end was just unnecessary and weird and it spoiled the book for me. What started off as a strong yet difficult topic to swallow became a nonsense by the end. I'm really frustrated by how things evolve in the last third of the book. What a shame...

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sup_demons's review against another edition

Go to review page

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? It's complicated

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

leslie523's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

fkshg8465's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I saw the movie years ago and remember it differently than the book. So some of the content was surprising to me. I’m undecided on how I feel about these differences.i think I liked the movie better than the book because the movie was more dramatic and had actual resolution. The book is satisfying in a different way, and in some ways, more realistic in that when people die, the rest of us still need to find a way to keep living.

I thought the writing was strong, but I’m conflicted on the story.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

annadrinksmilk's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

tamzy6's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark sad tense medium-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

3.5

3.5 stars. It's a beautiful story and I really liked the concept of the Inbetween. The story is filled with broken people but they didn't feel like caricatures. Each one of them had distinct and rich personalities. It was really bittersweet seeing them grow up and experience the things that Susie will never be able to do in human form.

UNTIL...
The ending.
What the fuck was that about? I really disliked how Sebold just HAD to give Susie that 'perfect' ending in human form, where Susie kind of possessed Ruth's body and then had sex with Ray? I'm all for fantasy and magical realism, we are reading about a ghost's thoughts after all, but romanticising this possession felt vulgar and weird. This could have been a 4 star read but meh, it felt weird after that.


Also, how did this book get published without a copyeditor because I found there were lots of weird phrases and spelling mistakes, e.g. using "reverted" instead of "riveted", and I had to re-read it to make sure I wasn't imagining things. You know, basic writing stuff.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

liml's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional medium-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

3.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

gordosaurusrex's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

A beautiful, heartfelt book. A mix of murder mystery and relationship drama. The characters are super well written with flaws and some real development that makes them feel like real people, and the descriptions of where Susie spends the book are excellent. Emotional and intriguing.
the section where Susie enters Ruth's body towards the end and makes love to Ray was a bit weird, and although I'm sure Ruth was alright with this arrangement it didn't stop me feeling a little icky as Susie used Ruth's body for her own wants, and she is technically still a little girl. This is the reason I didn't award 5 stars, but didn't take away from how impactful I felt the books was

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

nehalism's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings