Reviews tagging 'Incest'

The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag

5 reviews

sebnia_05's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Incest, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Racism

sophiereads21's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

I find this book so hard to review! 

What I didn't like:
It's almost YA but not? Unlike other reviewers I didn't find it hard to keep track of who everyone was nor did I find the switching perspectives/timelines that confusing. I do think the author dragggggged on the lead up to the conclusion, which was the wrapped up in about 5 pages. I really think this book could have been about 11 pages shorter. I also wasn't sold on the "Grimm" concept, there were vague references to fairytales but nothing concrete enough to really sell me on why they were called "Grimms".  I have seen other books so the philisopsihin on human nature much better, its incredibly surface level comparisons of good and evil (apparently following your head is evil/dark?). 

What I did like:
The concept really reminded me of the book/movie "Beautiful Creatures" and it could have come off as much lamer(?) than it did. The prose is lyrical and all the characters well fleshed out! 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Incest

amdbarger's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Fatphobia, Incest, and Sexual content

cutlet's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

I was intrigued by the premise, but I felt like I had to push through a lot of stuff. When it ended, it felt like the 'why' was never explained, a few random additions were made but never elaborated on, and there was no real resolution, the story just sort of dropped off and stopped. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Incest

deesquared's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

A spin on the Grimm fairy tales, four girls have to make a decision on their eighteenth birthday on choosing between darkness or death. 

It's a book that had a lot of potential but didn't lead anywhere.

I did not like that the characters were all 17, but had the lives of people at least in their 20s.

I'm talking sole guardian of a small child, university student having an affair with professor or the girl selling her grandmother's cafe after effectively being manipulated by an adult man!

 

It could have easily been about people in their 20s, the turning point could have been them turning 21, it didn't have to be 18 to fit with fairytale lore if these themes were going to be used! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment

Minor: Eating disorder and Incest