Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Good Samaritan by John Marrs

15 reviews

megan_wy's review

dark 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

2.5

This was my second John Marrs novel, and I loved the first one I read by him! However, this one was a little more of a let down for me. The dark concept was really intriguing to me and started out super strong. I was fully invested in the story in the beginning, but as the novel went on, I began to lose interest. There were so many characters to keep track of that I began to confuse some of the side plots and people. I also feel parts became unrealistic when Laurel began actually killing people in real life. Her whole MO was that she encouraged people to kill themselves, not actually murder people. Also, when Tony killed Johnny at the end, it really made me annoyed. It felt out of character for both of them, like the author was reaching. I did like how Effie got revenge at the end. I really felt for Ryan and wish he got a better ending than that. I know Marrs likes an unhappy ending though after reading two of his books, so I guess this was suspected. I liked the concept for sure and parts were very interesting and kept me invested. Overall, I’d give this about 2.5 stars. I would love to read another Marrs book still and see if I feel the same way.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Pregnancy

lucykae's review

challenging 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

killmoore_'s review

dark tense fast-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

5.0

This may be my favorite book by John Marrs, holy cow. I have never been so ANGRY at a character in my life. My heart broke for Ryan, despite his atrocities, and I nearly cheered during the epilogue - our MC deserves every bit of undoing that is coming for her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

paigie_pie's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Pedophilia, and Kidnapping

meg_pethxx's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

Did really enjoy this book, and deffo would’ve read quicker if life didn’t get in the way! 
Amazing plot twists, was kinda giving Freida vibes! Deffo gonna give some of his other books a go!
Couldn’t have guessed what was going on, although had a slight feeling she was a lot more crazy than we thought. 
Extremely dark, but kinda loved it, very much intriguing!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Alcohol

tspice24's review

dark 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

keriseabby's review

dark emotional 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

4.75

 Though it is a different book from my usual reading preferences, I was pleasantly surprised by this book, which marked my first experience with this author. It reveals an entire genre of literature that I have been missing out on. The story revolves around Laura, a woman who works as a suicide helpline operator, but instead of providing assistance, she manipulates and convinces callers that suicide is the only solution. The novel is a thriller, evoking feelings of anger, frustration, and intense emotion. The plotline is captivating and engrossing, making it a perfect pick for those who enjoy the genre. I read it in a short span of time and cannot wait to explore more of John Marrs's work, as this book was exceptional. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

eveling_99's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Minor: Bullying, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Grief, and Gaslighting

skissih's review

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, and Alcohol

toniibelle's review

dark mysterious sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail