Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

78 reviews

raychelbennet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I think I did this book a bit of a disservice by reading it immediately following a re-read of <i>The Luminous Dead</i>. 

I wasn't sure what I thought of this book until the last 5% (which is unusual for me). I really enjoyed Jane as a character, I was interested in her experiences in Lindridge Hall, and I wanted her to get what she wanted out of life. But I couldn't bring myself to truly care about Augustine and I was confused by the pacing. Sometimes it felt meandering with no end point (conveniently like what I imagine the cellars beneath Lindridge Hall to be like) and other times it felt hasty and rapid-fire. I did feel consistently off-kilter and I was never sure where the plot was going. 

Due to these concerns, I was under the impression this was going to be a solidly middle-of-the-road book. Excellent plot, inconsistent pacing, and a strong protagonist but wishy-wishy supporting characters. However, to my surprise, the last 10% of the book wrapped everything up beautifully for me. I can't say I completely understood the plot or what was happening but the ending is that kind of open-ended, not-totally-resolved denouement that I find perfect. It was resolved in what I am realizing might be a signature of Caitlin Starling.

This is somewhere between a four and a five for me, so lowered just a smidge because <i>The Luminous Dead</i> remains my favorite. All-in-all, I can't wait to see what else Caitlin Starling writes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Medical trauma

Moderate: Death, Gore, and Excrement

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War

writer_lian's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

Soooo perfectly gothic. I love Jane, she's pretty relatable and has autistic swag to be honest. I found the beginning to be a little slow and her infatuation with Augustine to be slightly far fetched even at the end. He doesn't deserve her!! However, I think that element just didn't resonate with me and textually its well justified. The classically gothic elements are so delicious, I found myself smiling as the dread and horror mounted. It'a very rooted in the time period even as the author explores some more post modern-ish threads within the plot. Highly recommend to both well read gothic horror fans and new readers of the genre.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Gaslighting and War

lipstickitotheman's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Nice gothic horror! 

Half of the way in, I was thinking that there was NO WAY that I had only read half, what more can this lady go through. Well!

Woe to the power of shame

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

aparker89's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

karinamitc's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Dysphoria

lionfish_22's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Self harm, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use and Alcohol

peregrinwho's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

It's been a few weeks since I finished this, and I haven't stopped thinking about this book since picking it up. Immediate new favorite. The romance is instantly believable and blush-inducing, the characters are perfect manifestations/carriers of the themes, and the layers of mystery kept getting unfolded like pulling back sheets on the bed knowing you'll end up feeling cold and helpless but you have to in order to release the uncomfortable heat.
Fantastic pacing, harrowing imagery, enchanting insights, and one of the most horrifically perfect endings I've ever read.

I really saw a lot of myself in Jane, and like to think she's autistic. To see a protagonist so complex and full as her who thinks and sees the world as I do is so precious to me since it's rarely represented in a positive light (or at all). Every time she stood up for herself I was so happy. I also saw parts of myself in Augustine, and have since started a paradigm shift after reading how him blaming himself for everything was arrongance. Time to re-evaluate some things boys😅. And the way the time loop was closed??? My friend and I discussed it for hours. I'm so in love with the tragedy of the ending even though I cried and had nightmares afterwards, because I understood all the themes and elements had come together so perfectly. I now also understand body horror is the type of horror that will actually freak me out, so that's knowledge!🙃

There's more I could say but this is long enough. Suffice it to say, overall this book devestated me, and I will be recommending it to anyone who will listen to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Miscarriage, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Death of parent

seasidefaye13's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Blood, and Medical trauma

rjohnston's review

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

I listened to this on audio book which may have factored into my rating as I felt like this book dragged on and on. There was so much detail added to some parts of the book and it seemed unnecessary. It was convoluted and the ending was abrupt. However, the plot was interesting and I would try and read a physical copy to see how I like that too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

siriface's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Medical content, and Medical trauma