Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Němý viník by Zuzana Bičíková, Maureen Johnson

16 reviews

books4em's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book made me remember why I love thrillers - but not just any thriller, those thriller series where you are left without the one last answer to the mystery. You have so many of the pieces fitting together, but then there's that one question that leaves you hanging. Add in a new cliffhanger, and you've got those specially amazing thrillers. That was The Vanishing Stair. I am about to immediately pick up the third book in the Truly Devious series because this was so good. Johnson really knows how to write a story that keeps you captivated. Reading the two timelines at the same time is a key aspect of this series and one I enjoy greatly. Combined with the fantastic descriptions of the setting of Burlington, Ellingham, and Vermont in general, it is truly amazing (pun intended). The whole subplot with Edward King I'm not a fan of, but I see its purpose. Same with the Dr. Fenton and Hunter subplot - not sure where that's going. As with Truly Devious, I appreciated the queer rep with the side characters (one of whom uses they/them pronouns and it's seamless) along with the mental health rep. I liked how these points continued from the first book. I also liked how this book focused more on solving the Ellingham case, not just the one in the current timeline. And by far, the best moment in this book is on page 348 where Stevie is talking through the murders with those involved in the cupola and the ghost of Dottie looks at George Marsh's ghost and turns to Stevie and nods and Stevie nods back. Yes!!! That moment of understanding and thanks from Dottie is insurmountable! But still, where is Alice and what's the secret surrounding her?! I need answers, so on to book 3!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Confinement

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Kidnapping

lily1304's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

I feel like this one was even better than the first!! It's so, SO satisfying as a reader when you can piece together a mystery before it's stated. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism and Confinement

Minor: Vomit

Descriptions of people finding decomposing human corpses

themoodreader's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Alcohol, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Death, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, and Murder

falennahrm's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-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? Yes

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Dysphoria, Gore, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Stalking, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

amaya_jam's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I'm not a big audiobook person but for some reason, this series just works in this format 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Vomit and Alcoholism

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Confinement

mcc004's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

dylpickles's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Grief, Kidnapping, Confinement, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

alliemikennareads's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

4.75

The Vanishing Stair picks up right where book one lets off and is equally full of twists, turns and crime solving. Some parts maybe felt a bit underdeveloped compared to try first book, but it still has all the qualities I loved between the boarding school setting, fall vibes, and a mix of past and present mysteries unfolding. I loved every minute and read it in a day. It left me wanting to pick up book three immediately, which is what I shall do! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Confinement

Death by suicide, HP reference, anxiety, panic attacks, confinement.

elskabee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

 I really struggled to remember anything that had happened in the first book even though I read it earlier this year so I really could have done with more of a recap of events at the start of this one.

I struggle with my feelings on this book because the first half was very slow and hardly any progress was made at all. Then the second half was actually quite good as we actually start to learn more info and it picks up the pace. Thank God!

I'm intrigued enough to continue the series still, but if it hadn't picked up at that halfway point I was fully ready to DNF it. So I guess it's on thin ice mostly due to pacing issues for me personally.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Confinement

Minor: Cursing, Alcoholism, and Fire/Fire injury

Characters attend an anatomy class where dissection of animal specimens is described

aoifeherondale's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement