Reviews tagging 'Death'

Penance by Eliza Clark

117 reviews

alexandra__rae's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

emilyb99's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

'Yaaaas, queen!' Joni hissed, when she spotted it. 'Slay!
Serving traction alopecia realness.'

This book was absolutely terrible. Did you kill the editor?? Is this actually true crime??? I kept moaning to my friend that it wasn’t over. I spilled wine on it too and I didn’t even care. 
It’s like if Skins had a murder plot in it. Or if you enjoyed Bunny by Mona Awad you’ll like this book. But that’s about it. If you like mean girls who kill another girl then this is your tea party. 
Prepare yourself for going down rabbit holes that don’t even allign with the storyline anymore. For example: someone’s immigrant aunty’s Indian takeaway and their school experience in Crown-On-Sea. Like does this shit matter? I asked myself this and the answer was no, this is nowhere near the plot. Like at all. So random and frustrating, can we please stop rambling? I was very disappointed and thought this book was going to be a lot better than it was, I didn’t think it was going to be some random jealous girl who kills the girl who talks to her girlfriend. It was also as if the author downloaded tumblr and used it for a week in order to get some lingo, find out what “shipping” was, and how the ask box worked. As someone who was THERE for fanfic tumblr in 2014, it was so yucky. 
She literally put an entire chapter of gay school shooter fanfiction. I understand maybe it was to be like ‘ahhh Dolly is sooo fucked up!!!’ but I was reading it starting to wonder if the author published this book just so she could put her fanfiction of school shooters out there. Really odd that she writes in the style of a creepy middle aged man, I’m also pretty sure she made no descriptions of any of these girls, so many names thrown all over the place and then you had to remember their other names. I couldn’t picture a single one of them, as well as “oh that … was that one?” “Which girl did this?”. 
I’m confused with the people who actually liked this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

coffeecass's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury

semjl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. As someone who was a big tumblr user in my teens (although not in the way these girls use it) I found it quite nostalgic. Also the complex relationships of teenage girls with a mixture of nice upbringings and loving homes vs without.

Felt a bit confused at the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

kfergy's review against another edition

dark fast-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? Yes

4.0

Really interesting read, especially as someone who has dipped into the true crime genre but also feels an 'ick' about aspects of the rising interest and production within it. Excellent use of framing, given that the reader is told at the beginning that this is a sus publication. Made me glad I'm not in high school anymore and that Tumblr was in its infancy when I was. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Mass/school shootings, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Self harm, Vomit, and Kidnapping

evawondergem's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Torture, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Classism

amy14's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Self harm, Torture, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

mastben11's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, and Incest

polly_ellen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

It took me a while to get into but I really loved this book. The story was fascinating and gripping - even though you know what it is right from the outset. The character development and insight into provided into them and their motives and what led to their crime was absolutely fascinating. I also loved the way the central plot was linked to contemporary events very relevant for my generation. The wider commentary on Brexit, celebrity culture, class, family, online behaviours and the cult of tumblr was so gripping. I really think Eliza Clark is a voice of a generation. 

And then finally, the commentary on the ethics of the book and the true crime genre at the end just added to the intrigue and made the book even more unique. Would really recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

plstr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• 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: Bullying, Child death, Death, Torture, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Racism