Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough

9 reviews

fkshg8465's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

3.5

This book probably could've done with at least 50 pages less. It got so tedious! But overall, I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? Yes

3.5

I thought this story was quite good, and I was really REALLY upset when Emma was getting gaslit by everyone around her. I do wish the reveal was a bit more expertly unfolded; I didn't feel like everything was really wrapped up nicely. The end did hit me hard, but I think based on how into the story I was, the ending could have been just explosive. And the whole daughter side-plot seemed maybe too much? When describing the plot to my partner, he commented that there was quite a lot going on in here, and that's the truth.

I also feel like if an author is going to use the kind of supernatural aspect, then it needs to be established as a possibility throughout the book. Like, the reader is looking for a realistic answer until told otherwise, so I supernatural answer doesn't feel very satisfying.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use and Emotional abuse

katosta8815's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very creepy. Repetitive at times, a lot of filler sub-plots, but overall interesting and mysterious enough to want to continue.

There are some plot holes regarding the “family curse/gift” — there is mention of family members before Patricia having similar issues, however when the story concludes, we only get an explanation for Patricia, Emma, and Will.

Trigger warning for

child abuse and statutory rape (I have a big issue with the way this topic is handled in this book….)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

ashleyalyse's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

While I did really enjoy this book, I still found myself with unanswered a questions at the end that I felt should have been resolved better. 
It was an enthralling read, I listened while I did chores around the house which allowed me to forget about how much cleaning I was doing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

theliteraryhooker's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

2.5

This book is nonsense. It's quick, entertaining nonsense, but nonsense nonetheless. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Violence, Medical content, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Self harm

Minor: Death of parent

dalmavatai's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

There were some decent twists in this book that I enjoyed - definitely similar to Behind Her Eyes so if you enjoyed that I'd recommend this book. However, a lot of it was very repetitive and boring, I honestly think this book could've been about 50-100 pages shorter. Plus, I'm tired of the trope of a woman not being believed & being gaslit by everyone in her life, it's just exhausting to read in a thriller for the millionth time, especially with how repetitive this book gets. Also there was a lot of ableism in this book from all of the characters, including internalized ableism from the MC, and a shit ton of throwing around words like 'crazy' and 'mad' which I thought wasn't properly addressed at all. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Sexism, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse

doreyghc's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical content, and Grief

travelseatsreads's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

My relationship with Sarah Pinborough's books has always been one of extreme love or hate, with 13 Minutes and Cross Her Heart in the love group and Behind Her Eyes firmly exiled to the hate category. Yes, I'm one of the ones who just couldn't get on with THAT ending. However, reading the blurb of Insomnia I was really intrigued and had to give it a try with much abated breath.

I chose to listen to the audiobook and from the first few minutes the narrator, Sarah Durham, immediately set the scene with her pace, intensity and almost disquieting narration.

The storyline line builds with an eerie yet frantic intensity that throws you firmly into a state of unease and panic that matches the terror and torture of Emma's long sleepless nights.

Pinborough firmly entangles the reader in a snare-like maze of twists and dead ends which add to the encroaching sense of restlessness. At each point you begin to feel there are finally some answers and that normality is returning and then there's yet another unexpected slap in the face. Who exactly are we supposed to believe?

I absolutely loved how Sarah looked at intergenerational trauma and at whether certain aspects of mental illness can be passed down from parent to child in such an alternative way. The plotting also has glimmers of the nature/nurture debate and questions if some things are just self-fulfilling prophecies which we have no control over.

A very eerie, meaty and unsettling thriller which put me immediately in a state of unease, performed by a narrator who really enhanced the experience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Car accident