Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry

8 reviews

domspinon_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

3.5

This is one of those books that I'm happy I read but, was extremely difficult. Please check triggers before diving into this one (which is always the case for a Lucinda book TBH).  I would love for the characters to have been fleshed out more. The information we found out about the dad felt very rushed to me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Murder

missrisslee's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Pedophilia

I was very impressed by this author's knowledge on

sex offender treatment

. I used to work with that population and she did a pretty good job! The end had a twist I didn't see coming.

aleen_elizabeth's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

mbarrow's review against another edition

dark sad medium-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder

incandescent_ink's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Murder

canascorner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense 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? Yes

4.25

I can understand based on the contents of this book and what it tackles why someone would rate this poorly. I kind of went in blind (I didn't know much about what the book was about); I just read it on a whim. I think the author did a good job of handling the sensitivity of the topic without making it seem like she was romanticizing the perpetrator. I found myself feeling sympathy for both parties (more so the girls). I'm not going to lie getting insight into Noah's feelings about children did make me grimace and angry, but I couldn't help but have a tad bit of sympathy for him because no one hates himself more than Noah does. Also, at first, I understood where the mom was coming from, she just wanted to protect her son, but I really don't think she understood the severity of what her son had done which is why I completely understand why some would find her annoying (the dad was no better in my opinion). The ending and what happens still leaves me conflicted. 

I don't condone the mom helping her son die (in the eyes of the law, that's 1st-degree murder), however, I completely get what she did it. Mercy killings (I think that's what they're called) are very complicated to me when faced with those scenarios. It really shows you how everything isn't so black and white.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Vomit, and Medical content

Minor: Murder, Outing, and Abandonment

julsi's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

0.5

I have not disliked a book like this in a long time.  Is it affecting? yes.  I can't stop fuming about it. I just hate the framing and the conclusions and I genuinely do not understand its purpose.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Abandonment

The basic premise of the story is 'perfect' son admits to acting on a sexual attraction to children and is charged & sent to treatment, with mother and family trying to deal with situation. The conclusion is mother ends up agreeing to assist her son in killing himself which is framed as a difficult but noble decision (even as she plans to avoid arrest by making it out to be suicide & somewhere in there the father has never revealed that he had similar problems - in the past? but got over it? I suspect they were trying for a 'its genetic' point but it somehow made the 'this is a mental illness & there is no treatment & look at how society responds'..so euthanasia is the only solution- even more confusing and unsettling) I genuinely do not understand what this story is trying to do other than flattening a complex and provoking topic into a very base 'well, killing pedophiles is the only option. In fact its a kindness.' with an added 'god understands'. I know this is a controversial topic & I have my own personal difficulties with the subject but turns out; I find this a highly disturbing take & genuinely wish I'd never read this book.