Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

62 reviews

sappypatheticm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Dementia, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

24carrotgay's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

This book completely took me by surprise! I was expecting the kind of horror that involves descriptive murder and builds to a horror-movie-esque climax of gore and, well, horror. Instead, the unsettling vibes and theories (including one that Merricat was actually a ghost) turned out to be directed at the wrong people.

Okay, yes, Merricat committed mass murder of her family and caused Uncle Julian's permanent disability and Constance took the wrap for it while supporting Merricat and her murderous tendencies but, like, the villagers were worse!! When they started leaving food for them at the house though? Emotion. Tears. Crying.

God, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a rollercoaster in the dark - ups and downs, twists and turns, and you have absolutely no idea where it's gonna go next.

The content, pleasant ending was my second favorite part. My first was when Charles thought Constance wanted him and Constance had to hold back her laughter before wishing him dead

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Dementia, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

ariajb's review against another edition

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

2.0

I was hoping for plot twists, but there wasn’t even a plot so 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death

ilaxaria's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Suicide

kirjakorppi's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Dementia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Murder, and Classism

isloe's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death and Dementia

otterforce's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

4.0

 This is a story about so much and so little, and that’s the least of the conflicting or opposing elements involved. If you like character driven stories with a side of mental health issues and some darkness, this story will serve you well. 

It’s a story where no one is innocent and no one escapes unchanged, but whether the end is happy or tragic is left up to you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, and Gaslighting

kirjakimalainen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

"It's complicated" sums it up pretty well😅 if you like weird, creepy and slightly disturbing books, this is for you

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Classism

Minor: Gaslighting

jully_bean's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Violence, Dementia, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury

neonskylite's review

dark mysterious medium-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

I never understood people who read Lolita and are so charmed by Humbert they forget that he's a pedophile. And then I read this book and that distinct first-person narrative voice of Merricat draws you in when she is childish and psychopathic and spends most of the book doing complicated rituals that have no effect on her world because this isn't a magic realist book just Merricat being disconnected from reality and yet,

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Bullying, Dementia, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty

Incestuous themes: Charles is trying to marry his cousin, Constance, and they take on aspects of the Blackwood parents during their "courtship", or at least from Merricat's point of view. And Merricat and Constance are so thoroughly enmeshed with each other...