Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

A Short Stay In Hell by Steven L. Peck

16 reviews

wyabook234's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Self harm, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Classism

jesikakaley's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Self harm, Suicide, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

lecheeese's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

Thoughtful read! It can sway into stream of consciousness at times which was surprisingly a delight.

Anticipation is a gift. Perhaps there is none greater. Anticipation is born of hope. Indeed it is hope's finest expression. In hope's loss, however, is the greatest despair.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Body horror, Self harm, and Torture

Minor: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

charjaun_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

takecoverbooks's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Self harm, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

alexadaggett's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, and Torture

Moderate: Sexual assault

spookymoosereads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm and Torture

stephanieluxton's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? No

4.0

This book was not what I was expecting which isn't surprising since I went in totally blind without reading the description. I think that was an enjoyable way to read it, honestly!

But the book is about a mormon man named Soren who tried to live his best life then dies of cancer and finds himself in hell alongside quite a lot of other people who also were pretty regular people. Hell for Soren isn't the fire and brimstone you'd expect but instead is a basically eternal library containing every book that could theoretically exist and the only way the inhabitants can leave is by finding a books that perfectly portrays the story of their lives. This isn't exactly a spoiler, but contrary to the title, his stay is not short.

This book was interesting because it feels like it's more about immortality than anything else (because when you're already dead, you don't exactly die). I found this book to be sad. It explores themes of regarding madness of groups of people, love, loss, and being faced with an impossible task.

I don't know what the genre of this book is. There's a few parts that feel like horror but most of the book has a very somber feeling to it.

It's a short read so I definitely recommend picking it up. It's definitely different!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Cancer

The only semi graphic situation is when a group of extremists take over a section of the library and abuse/torture/kill anyone who won't join them. There's a lot of "suicide" but it's not really suicide because people just come right back after since they're technically already dead.

zwipf30's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Kidnapping, Grief, and Suicide attempt

barelyalex's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

So engrossing that I specifically chose to read this because it was short but immediately wish it were longer.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail