Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

19 reviews

ksmo's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

I really enjoyed listening to most of this audiobook, but I was so unsatisfied with the ending. It seems as though the author's message is

that it's fine if you kill people, as long as you only kill bad people, because the police are too stupid to figure that out. And even if you're pretty sure they have figured it out, they'll still take some weird pity on you and just let you live happily ever after. There was so much energy and anticipation built up for when Henry finally found Finn, and then they just had a chat? This drunk, narcissistic man who's been obsessed with this person for over 20 years finally tracks down the object of his obsession, while frantically saying he 'wanted to kill someone', and then he pushes him onto a sofa but is otherwise lucid and chill enough to just talk??

I was also just very surprised at the complete lack of accountability. I thought the same at the end of the first book, and thought that surely things would come to a head in this sequel, but everyone just got away with everything and went and had a family garden party. And Henry's adoption of other people's entire identities is treated as an 'Oh what is he like' character quirk, rather than completely insane.

I was quite invested in Rachel as a character,

but again that all got nicely tied off with a bow of 'Yeah he's dead and my dad got his money back, so everything's sunshine and roses'.

All of the endings and resolutions just feel rushed and too easy to me, so I finished both books kind of annoyed and disappointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Murder, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Child abuse

knikchevich's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent

nic_dodd's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Cursing, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Infidelity, Mental illness, Confinement, and Stalking

brynhayes's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Grief, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Rape, Death, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I didn't realize that this was the sequel to The Family Upstairs when I started, and I probably would have waited a bit to be a better headspace because of all of the assault. But I still really enjoyed it, and I like the author's storytelling a lot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Suicide

Minor: Grief and Infidelity

helloits_jen's review against another edition

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

3.5

A really quick and mostly easy read. Didn’t enjoy it anywhere as much as the first one though and didn’t really get a sense of the story being ‘complete’. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Stalking, Death, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pedophilia, Violence, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Miscarriage

kernowme's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Confinement, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, and Animal death

elle_e_d_light's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

3.0

This was a wholly unnecessary sequel with an ending to this story that wrapped up just a bit to cleanly for my taste. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Rape

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Infertility, and Suicide

If you've read the first book, you shouldn't be surprised at any of the content in this one. A lot of the events of the first book are either mentioned or continue throughout this book.

nailartklaudia's review against another edition

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, and Suicide