Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

14 reviews

lilac_sparkle's review against another edition

slow-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

2.5

I thought using a story-within-a-story concept was really well done, but the story had many other faults.

The story does not speak of unhoused people well and often falls on negative stereotypes about unhoused people, such as that they are violent or addicted to drugs.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault

Minor: Sexual content, Addiction, and Alcohol

CW for discrimination against unhoused people:

There are multiple instances where unhoused people are talked about in a negative light and this is never challenged in the story.

CW for sexual content: Two adult characters are briefly described as sleeping together. Could make somone uncomfortable if they are sex-repulsed, such as myself.

bek_p87's review against another edition

mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.25

The premise of this novel was intriguing - a mystery novel about a woman writing a mystery novel about a woman writing a mystery novel, where each of the fictional woman is involved in a "real life" mystery - but unfortunately it fell short. None of the mysteries were particularly well-told, and it was all just a little far-fetched.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Murder, and Violence

amberinpieces's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical content, Death, Cursing, Murder, and Stalking

Minor: Body horror, Classism, Racism, Addiction, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Violence, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Gun violence

badmom's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.75

Interesting structure that blurs conventional expectations of storytelling - an author’s fan writes to her and is soon invited to give feedback on her newest novel about a murder uncovered in a library that four strangers decide to investigate. 
Switching back & forth from the increasingly outspoken letter-writer and the presumed novel chapters was sometimes a bit jarring, and a few details felt too-quickly thrown into place by the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Stalking

j_emerson18's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

4.75

What a great book to start the year. It was inspirational and well written.  I love the plot twists near the end. The writing style was super intriguing. I loved the story with the four unlikely friends in the midst of a murder. **spoiler warning**
I am honestly a little upset by the lack of depth or detail about the secondary story between two writers in which one is a serial killer. I would have loved more information about the two of them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Cursing, Stalking, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Medical content, and Torture

Minor: Grief and Sexual content

allisonplus's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

aseel_reads's review against another edition

mysterious 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? It's complicated

1.5

this had the potential, if they made it author living her life/writing her novel, the novel itself, and then leo advising her about the novel in real life but instead we just get the novel itself (which was odd, hated the characters, the ending was weird, don't understand it) and leo advising on it and apparently the blurb just tells us what is going to happen??? no good 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Sexual content, Stalking, Violence, Blood, and Death

arthur_ant18's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Stalking

Moderate: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Alcohol, and Child abuse

Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Incest

jupiter_01's review against another edition

funny mysterious 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

4.0

I would've read this in one day if I could, but I also didn't want it to be over! The novel features a group of oddball people who become friends, all while keeping secrets from each other. It continuously kept me guessing, and in the end I wasn't right!

I enjoyed the two narrative structure. I laughed and smiled and genuinely thought some moments between the couples were cute, which made it even more suspenseful to know someone/s was hiding the truth.

The only thing that didn't quite work for me was the ending. It was abrupt and I was left unsure how to feel.

I read one analysis that Leo is ultimately a mirror of his real life counterpart, which I can accept and like, but even so, it felt ill-paced.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Stalking

Minor: Racism, Sexual content, and Child abuse

caseythereader's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Medical content, Blood, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Torture and Rape

Minor: Racism and Sexual content