Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Meine Schwester, die Serienmörderin by Oyinkan Braithwaite

169 reviews

florecita_lectora's review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Medical content

ckcombsdotcom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

My feelings about this story are complicated. I'm not sure I'd say the characters are morally gray but the idea of right and wrong are complicated. 

Yeah 'complicated' is a theme.  

The writing is good, the characters are flawed and interesting and both easy and hard to relate to. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship

radtj's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, and Toxic relationship

asinglebird's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Body shaming and Bullying

ka_ke's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-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

3.0

It’s okay. I appreciate the complexity behind the need to protect ones sister, and protecting oneself by reporting the crime. It’s not easy to be in that position and I believe it was portrayed well. 

Otherwise the book gets very repetitive and eventually you figure out where it’s going 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Misogyny, and Violence

Moderate: Classism, Gore, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, and Death of parent

books_hay's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence

yomireads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

What I love most about this book are the evolving characters. From the beginning to the end of the book I wouldn't say there's a whole lot of growth for any character in particular; however, the non linear story-telling adds complexity to what could easy be written off as "she's good, she's bad, and its always been this way." Though through the haggard circumstances of murder, the fraught nature of sibling dynamics is well realized as they squabble with each other, harp about each other, and love each other.

Usually the overall lack of growth would be a very big disappointment to me, but the sense of dread and feeling of inevitability that surrounds the conclusion of this book feels very nuanced to me. And though it's a small change,

there is a sense of the sister's relationship become more resolute and settled.

 

Stylistically, I also found the chapters to be just a smidgen too short. I don't mind quick chapters, but sometimes keeping the chapters so brief feels like it's cutting the plot and story momentum off at the knees. I know this isnt a largely popular opinion, so take that as you will. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Misogyny and Gaslighting

Minor: Physical abuse and Medical content

augustinedreams's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Grief, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gore, Blood, and Death

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, and Police brutality

roseangel2's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Murder

hayleyvem's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship

Minor: Addiction