Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

Sundial by Catriona Ward

117 reviews

justacowboy's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Infertility, Sexual content, and Blood

biddibee's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

What an interesting book! I loved the unique and beautiful setting. Catriona Ward does unreliable narratore like nobody else. What's real? Who's who? And that ending! I audibly gasped. The neverending suspense!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

sykamor's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book has two things I don't really like in books: the past being a large part of the story and a novel or story being written by a character and told within the story. These two things usually take me out of the story and they made this book a little disappointing for me. I thought the characters were interesting but definitely not really likable, except Callie. The twists were decent. I just got a little bored and I was disappointed that the characters we were presented with didn't really go anywhere in the present. 
The story the main character writes is also a little cringey and I didn't enjoy those parts. 

Not my favorite but, it was interesting enough to finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, and Alcohol

phantomgecko's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

5.0

A braided novel! One strand the mother, one strand the daughter, one strand the past, and one strand a novel within the novel.

It's got its little twists and turns and mysterious aura, so that's all fun. I figured most of the little mysteries before the official reveals, but I was also wrong along the way. Definitely a creepy book.

A little different look at the abusive husband trope.

i.e. the husband is definitely abusive and sucks fr, but Rob is legit a psychopath so she can give him what he deserves and still be the protagonist.

Also, I loved the ambiguous ending. What happens next? You decide! And also...........what's the deal with the contacts that may or may not exist. Love that bit. I think Rob really is Rob, personally, but maybe not! Maybe Rob is really Jack and lied about how the story ends. We'll never know!

My only complaint was the little novel bits. I thought they were kinda pointless but I understand the value they actually gave.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

sardinetin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

stabilesero's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Now this is finally a type of Thriller I can get behind. The perfect mix of shocking, horrifying plot with little bits of intrigue and suspense. 
I can't say I was a huge fan of the main character, Rob, but I loved Callie. I maybe empathised a bit too much with the sullen, I-hate-everyone-but-I'm-entirely-misunderstood trope but I love it. I found Callie to be really endearing and thoroughly looked forward to getting to her next perspective to see what the other spin was to her side of what was going on. 
I found Sundial as a location vastly interesting, as well as Rob & Jack's childhood with the dogs and scientific experiments.

It all very much plays into the psychology of "Are you born evil/bad, and can that be scientifically changed or environmentally/nurtured to change". 

I usually really struggle to connect with US settings/locations because I'm from the UK; whether it be lack of description or the same overused descriptions, but Ward really pulled off the Californian desert setting. It was done beautifully and gave it every justice it deserved. 
I think Ward is going to be one of my top Thriller authors, and I am very keen to pick up more of her work.
Also, just f**k Rob's husband.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, and Miscarriage

Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use

justlurkin's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Violence

laneychaney's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility

kylosten's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

About the ending:

The ending is very open ended so if you like clearcut definitive endings and not having  that will ruin a book for you then probably skip this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Miscarriage, Violence, and Pregnancy

Minor: Confinement

bookedandbusy's review against another edition

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? No

5.0

This book was eerie and unsettling and I loved it! The plot twists, especially the last one, were insane and I did not see them coming ! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Drug use and Infidelity