Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

110 reviews

leweylibrary's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

1.75

Ngl I'm shocked I finished this one 😅 I think I really just wanted to know for sure whether

Em's mom was actually down in the cave or not.

Basically, it was just way too slow with too little of consequence happening to keep me interested, especially since the WHOLE BOOK except the very last chapter are in this cave. I kept losing track of where the MC was in the cave and why because it all just felt the same?

AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT

THE ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP??

NO. Just no. On so many levels wtf. I kind of want to recommend this book to someone just so I have someone to hate on this part with 😅 it makes absolutely no sense for the characters and feels incredibly forced on top of being toxic AF.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical trauma

keen's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

theqwerty's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit

directorpurry's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Medical content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Death of parent and Abandonment

omega's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Abandonment

kurumipanda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I liked this. The caving parts were excellent: atmospheric, unsettling, terrifying. The dialog and relationship development were weaker - it seemed to develop too quickly/strongly with too little substance. Some story decisions felt inconsistent and illogical, and I wish the author had gone further with the sci-fi and cave ecology aspects. The audio narrator is great, though hearing the dialog aloud may have exacerbated some of my issues with it. Overall worth the read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

Minor: Body horror, Drug use, Vomit, and Gaslighting

kylieqrada's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

This was sooo atmospheric and creepy!! I would not last 10 minutes in this situation let alone however long Gyre was down there. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Medical content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

wickedmitch's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Gaslighting

rain02's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Death

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment

bespokecompost's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

5.0

Now that’s what i call toxic yuri!!!!!! Jokes aside this was incredibly effective for me. It was the definition of a page turner, i love a slow burn suspense filled “did i really see that” horror narrative mixed with some sudden terrifying moments and boy did this deliver. I also love the character introspection and the whole grappling with the nature of the one person you have to trust with your life even as they prove over and over again that you can’t really trust them. Ough i love it, i love the horrible yearning and forced trust and betrayal and devotion and i love it when those things are also gay. I saw some complaints about the ending feeling rushed but to me that’s the point: once they’re out of the cave the story is over. They can move on in whatever way the reader wants to imagine, but the cave still looms fresh in the mind. I’m now very excited to read her other books because if they’re anything like this (her first book!!??!!) I’m going to love them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Abandonment