Reviews tagging 'Death'

Crudelia De Mon. La mia vera storia by Serena Valentino

6 reviews

caoilo's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad 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

5.0

The book stays true to the original Cruella from the animated Disney movie and not the live-action movies. 
I loved to see how Cruella grew up and what made her the way she was. 
There are often times when the reader will feel sorry for her. It did have me crying by the end but to be fair a lot of the trauma that Cruella went through with her parents hit home. Not the money and the gifts lol but what happens with them.

It was so tempting to think everything was down to the curse but I'm not so sure of that. 

And I wish there was an answer to some degree as to why Anita did what she did at Dinner with Cruella, her mother and Mr Shortbottom. 

If you know you know.

Unfortunately, I did predict the twist with her money and mother. Still, it may be hard for some to believe a parent could treat their child so badly but I had a mother who was quite similar. That is probably why I saw it coming.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

bookdragonenby's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Throughout the novel my sympathy and then pity for Cruella grew. I am extremely satisfied with the novel and how the story unfolded. Seeing the events from this new perspective is fun and also frustrating. After Cruella's final push into madness the book ran to follow her falling state. I wish we had it more drawn and thorough, but the fastness of the pace allowed for the sense of madness to engulf you as you go on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

sam_fielder_137's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

A great insight into the mind of an adult who has been consumed by the traumas of their childhood, this book is surprisingly deep and disturbing. It's very difficult to make a villain forgivable, but an even greater task to make a villain heartbreakingly pitiable, and Serena Valentino does just that. A simple villain origin story became a tragedy at some point along the way. The only reason it isn't five stars is because the character (dip?) was kind of out of nowhere. Also (because that's the kind of reader I am) I so desperately wanted Cruella to change for the better, but that isn't possible and I understand that to a certain extent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism

lizzieg22's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal cruelty

Minor: Emotional abuse

chloelj27's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment