Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Confessions by Kanae Minato

81 reviews

fkshg8465's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I think I’m in the minority here, but I really enjoyed this book. Japanese courtesan and writer Murasaki Shikibu is credited as writing the first novel in history, and it was a psychological novel that launched a cult favorite around The Tale of Genji that still thrives and is taught all over the world today. I feel like Japanese are still the best at this genre, and I love that this book's subgenre within the psychological novel category is called iyamisu in Japanese which literally translates to “ew mystery.” This book was far more satisfying than my most recent Stephen King (It). Books like this make me feel better because I know I’ll never reach the depths of darkness written here, no matter how upset I get. I feel safer, and that’s the greatness of writers like Minato. Too bad only two of her books are available at my libraries in English translations.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

m_a_j's review

challenging dark 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

hedgewilde's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Terminal illness, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal cruelty and Miscarriage

_david_'s review

dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

If you like this, you'll probably like the movie Monster (2023)

I love this way of storytelling: revealing a mystery by using multiple perspectives.

It was a very dark and tense story with a good payoff. The characters were all very unique and though sometimes a bit over the top, not unbelievably so.

The only reason that I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 was because of the repetition. Just as it gets too much repetition imo (chapter 4), it stops and goes on with the character's own unique perspective.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Animal death, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Minor: Ableism and Terminal illness

Child abuse (physical) with the victim glorifying their attacker

_meganrose's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

WOW, the varying perspectives in this were equally horrifying and disturbingly fascinating. The storytelling in this was very unique. Overall 3.75 ⭐️ read for this dark thriller.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

hauntedantiqueshop's review

dark mysterious tense 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

4.75

There are certainly some aspects that I didn’t love but FUCK YEAH BITCH!!!!! Now that is an ENDING!! Had me evil cackling and kicking my feet. I need all other authors to take some fucking notes. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Terminal illness, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, and Abandonment

Huge content warning for HIV/AIDS discrimination and being used as a form of discrimination

yeolliesutr's review

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Murder

glgremlin's review

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

This book is the definition of "an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind." 

Absolutely incredible revenge story that hooks you at the very start.

It's taught me perception vs perspective are to different things to always take into account of someone.

Highly recommend!

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

pipe_dream's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

beightmana's review

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Confinement, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, and Toxic friendship