Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

16 reviews

megan_mac_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

3.0

Thriller / crime mystery type books always keep my attention and I read them fast. This one definitely has some interesting parts, but wasn't an instant favorite or shocker how some have been for me this year, thus not a higher rating. But still a good book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder

dblue236's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

The more of this author's books I read, the more I think The Girl on the Train might have been a one and done for me. I did finish this one, and I can't say I HATED it, but I was also pretty unenthused by it. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and the story felt fairly disjointed. The ending was solid, but overall I wasn't crazy about this by any means. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

madbirks's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced

3.75

I should have read the trigger warnings on this book more closely before reading. It dives deeply into

the guilt and shame that SA survivors experience

and I was not in a place to read that at the time. Otherwise, a really good read with lots of twists and turns. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

em_gauts's review against another edition

mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cursing, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

cozybritt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This is a dollar coaster of a mystery/thriller. One of those where you don't know what's real or true till the very end. It was very good! But could also be very triggering. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

mr_cain's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I only docked .25 of a star because the pacing was so slow in the exposition. I understand she's establishing a whole host of characters and I do appreciate it, but it's a book you have to power through the first part of. 

This book genuinely kept me guessing. I did suspect the real culprit several times, but I waffled often. Hawkins does a great job supplying motive and details for each of the suspects without it feeling like a painfully deliberate red herring. 

Hawkins also makes the characters each their own and her style is distinct for each chapter in a different POV (i.e. Helen, Jules, + Sean's chapters all feel genuine vs. the same style with different names as many POV switching books seem to do). She provides a cast of characters who are complex and feel so real. Not every character is deeply complicated but they all have their own established psyches which I loved. 

I can easily call myself a Paula Hawkins fan after this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Blood

Minor: Chronic illness, Eating disorder, and Vomit

kkalicky94's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

eshiltonn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder

unboxedjack's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

cheye13's review

dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

2.0

I was intrigued by a premise that didn't pay off. I find a lotta mystery/thrillers lean on the drama of people hating each other or simply being terrible for no reason, and that's precisely all this is. Everyone hated each other throughout this book and I have no clue why. The drama of the drowning pool was barely skimmed and the ending was not only unsatisfying, but also pointless. I do like a small town interwoven with drama, and I don't mind unlikeable characters, but as everyone was horrible for seemingly no reason, this was ultimately just an annoyance to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, and Physical abuse

rape is not depicted on-page, but before and after is extensively detailed; many detailed scenes involve drowning