Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

40 reviews

knikchevich's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent

michelles_book_nook's review against another edition

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

5.0

⚠️ CW: murder, child abuse, domestic abuse, gaslighting, rape, blackmail, grooming and suicide ⚠️ Wow Lisa Jewell certainly didn't disappoint with this sequel to The Family Upstairs and I absolutely adored it! On an early June morning in London a bag of human bones is discovered on the foreshore of the Thames leading to DCI Samuel Owusu being called to the scene as he quickly sends off the bag for forensic examination. The bones are those of a young woman, killed by a blow to the head many years ago. Also inside the bag is a trail of clues, in particular the seeds of a rare tree which lead DCI Owusu back to a mansion in Chelsea where, nearly thirty years previously, three people lay dead in a kitchen and a baby waited upstairs for someone to pick her up. The clues point toward a brother and sister in Chicago searching for the only person who can make sense of their pasts and with four deaths, an unsolved mystery and a family whose secrets can't stay buried forever the story is far from over. This book was so intricate and complex from start to finish and had me absolutely hooked. The breadcrumb trail of information throughout as you slowly piece together various pov's, character developments and pieces from the first book truly grip you and take you on such an incredible rollercoaster ride of twists, turns and shocking revelations. Overall, I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Child abuse, Gaslighting, and Rape

norwegianforestreader's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Cursing, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Infidelity, Mental illness, Confinement, and Stalking

brynhayes's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Grief, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Rape, Death, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence

jacs63's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.0

** spoiler alert ** I was told by someone that this wasn't very good, and boy, were they right. 
It was truely awful and so disappointing, as so many people rave about Lisa Jewell.
I borrowed this one from the library and saved my money, and I'm glad I did. 
I read in the 'Acknowledgements' that she wasn't going to write a sequel, but she gave in to pressure from her fans. Well, she needs to develop a back-bone.

I gave the book 2 stars, just for the fact that I am sure LJ can write. I'm just not sure that this is her best work. 

The first book was 'good'. A bit over-hyped, as all books are these days, with pages and pages of adulation from other famous authors and social media people. 
I was mildly underwhelmed though, but thought it was 'ok.' A different type of story, but it went on a bit. 

This book is so much worse. 
Nothing actually happens in it. 
It's so BORING. 
So many plot holes. 
Interpol are a bit 'pants', aren't they? Knowing all about Lucy and Henry etc but letting them travel back to the UK on false passports, and doing nothing. 
Rachel's character was a waste of good paper. 
I only read the book really, because her most intriguing character in the first book, Phin, might make an appearance. Except he doesn't. Not till the last 2 chapters or so. And he does nothing. What a wasted opportunity. 
LJ introduces a new character, with the Detective investigating the case, but even he can't save the story. He's so under-written. 
There's one suicide from a secondary character, who does it to save another character. 
There is a character who rapes someone, but this isn't new. He did it in the last book. 
And.........nothing else. 

I can't believe anyone gave this 4 or 5 stars, but then again there no accounting for taste, as they say. 
My recommendation is, give it a miss. It's awful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Mental illness, Rape, Stalking, Suicide, Alcohol, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Confinement, and Death

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious tense 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

4.25

I didn't realize that this was the sequel to The Family Upstairs when I started, and I probably would have waited a bit to be a better headspace because of all of the assault. But I still really enjoyed it, and I like the author's storytelling a lot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Suicide

Minor: Grief and Infidelity

laurareads_bcn's review against another edition

emotional 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

I prefered the first one, but it still was a nice book.

I didn't quite like part 4, I feel like it could have been different. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Gaslighting, Child abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

kati3_br0's review against another edition

1.5

Disappointed by this one. Literally adds nothing to the story we didn't already know. Could have been an epilogue in the first book. A cash grab I reckon. Nothing more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicide, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault

helloits_jen's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.5

A really quick and mostly easy read. Didn’t enjoy it anywhere as much as the first one though and didn’t really get a sense of the story being ‘complete’. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Death, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pedophilia, Violence, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Miscarriage

kernowme's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Confinement, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Animal death