Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

84 reviews

harpyd's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

4.5

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not my typical genre, I often shy away from crime/mystery novels as I don’t always enjoy the writing enough, but this definitely surprised me! I listened to the audiobook rather than reading a physical copy, and I think that it was read in a very captivating way as well. I was struggling a little to follow what was happening in the beginning, with a flashback scene opening the book, and then jumping 28 years later, but I was quite quickly immersed in the story. Many layers of complexity throughout. The development of the characters throughout the story was fantastic, and the slowly unfurling mystery definitely surprised me at times. I was sucker punched by the adjacent plot about three quarters of the way through, absolutely gut wrenching and took me by surprise! There’s lots to unpack here, and I might come back and write something a bit more cohesive about my thoughts. Overall very very enjoyable, even for non-mystery/ crime readers like me. Please check CW and TW, there’s quite a bit here that many may find upsetting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicide, Blood, and Death of parent

jesscoast's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

Another complex, meticulous, layered mystery from Slaughter. Though her books can be a little "American patriotism propaganda" I've come back to her writing a few times because I know i can rely on her for smart, female centred mysteries that resolve satisfyingly. The storylines form a tapestry of the complicated lives and intertwined lives in small town America. This was no different. Though I'd hesitate to recommend it widely, it was a compelling read that kept me guessing, with twists around every corner.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

rsagarin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

emo_erudite's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

There are potential trigger warnings/ spoilers-

there are scenes/descriptions involving rape of a minor, a school shooting, a teacher having an affair with a student, and a violent murder.

Like other Slaughter books I’ve read, this one hits the ground running. It’s definitely not for those with a weak stomach. If you’ve read False Witness and enjoyed it, I highly recommend reading this one too! 

In a fictional city in Northeast Georgia, Slaughter brings a prodigal daughter home to her estranged father and sister after a tragedy rocks the town. This happens 28 years after the family survived a tragedy of their own, which lead to the murder of mother and matriarch, Gamma. 

Young and intellectually challenged Kelly is charged with the crime, and Rusty Quinn steps up and takes her case, until he lands in the hospital. This leaves his lawyer daughters, Sam and Charlie, with the help of Charlie’s estranged husband Ben, to put together what really happened with Kelly that day. 

As the family tries to put together what happened, they are badgered by and townspeople, all of whom are certain that Kelly is guilty of this sorrowful crime. This drudges up memories of past events, and they have to figure out how to avoid danger and work together to heal old wounds in order to figure out what really happened. 

There are gruesome descriptions of what happened to people during crimes committed in this book. It’s not for the faint of heart. 

Living with seeing these things takes a toll on a person. It marks your soul.  Sometimes, you get stuck and hyper focus on the worst things that ever happened to you. The story of Charlie and Sam shows how living with these things and keeping terrible things a secret can affect our mental and physical wellbeing- it’s not healthy! If you’ve experienced trauma, please get help. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, and Transphobia

bookishchaos's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

5.0

I finished this in two days. The writing was exceptional, the characters were fleshed out, and most of the plot twists were unpredictable. Some scenes actually got me emotional, and that doesn't happen often when I read, because I know it's fiction. But this was so well written. The ending was the perfect conclusion to the story. Highly recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, and Miscarriage

Minor: Infidelity and Suicide

summerspence's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Suicide, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Transphobia, and Vomit

jmyles's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

caitlin_davis22'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Infertility, Infidelity, Police brutality, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Gore and Grief

nminst's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.0

The Good Daughter started off quick-paced but then it took until chapter ten (about 340 pages in) to pick back up for me. I’m looking forward to trying another Karin Slaughter read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Bullying

aylajn's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent