Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

29 reviews

jessyhayward's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

I have mixed feelings on The Wives by Tarryn Fisher. Truly.

On one hand, it was a super engaging and suspenseful mystery and psychological thriller that made me question absolutely everything I thought I knew. I had no idea what was actually true half the time. I liked the main character and really, really felt for her.

On the other, though, this book is a terrible representation of polyamory, mental illness, and domestic violence — especially in the second half. If you are particularly sensitive about this, don’t read it. It was particularly jarring (and outright inaccurate) when it came to psychosis. I thought the ending, while indeed as shocking as it was meant to be, was unnecessary and didn’t make much sense. If it wasn’t for these factors, I would’ve rated it much higher because it was quite interesting otherwise. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Child death, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Gaslighting and Emotional abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse and Drug abuse

lily_peach's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

1.0

An intriguing mystery ruined by the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Violence, and Domestic abuse

talyahonor23's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

Was actually really enjoying the books twists and turn and was excited by the idea that the man was the "crazy" one for once but oh no...it was the woman again. Plot was original but the ending was so boring and just like every other thriller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Stalking, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, and Child death

elderwoodreads's review against another edition

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

3.75

I have to give this book credit where it is do, I definitely did not know what was going to happen next up until the final page. There were some minor typos I caught that broke me out of the story from time to time. Additionally, the story stuttered in a few places and I feel like it could have benefitted from one last clean up of some extraneous scenes. I did find it to be an engaging and entertaining read, and Fisher did a great job building the mystery. Definitely worth a try if you think it's up your alley. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Grief, Gun violence, and Self harm

Minor: Drug use and Vomit

din0_bot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, Stalking, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

kshertz's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This was an interesting mystery. There’s a lot of twists and turns. A few times I was frustrated with the storyline but it was definitely addicting. I think it’s an exciting read though I was not a huge fan of the ending and how it wrapped up but I still think it’s worth a read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Violence

readingtotravel's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

The whole exploitation of someone's mental illness turned me off to the book. What was a great book full od twists and turns ruined itself with a trashy ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Violence, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Stalking, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Medical content

Minor: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Murder

sarah_speaks's review

dark mysterious 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Stalking, Miscarriage, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infertility, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal death

drkappitan's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.25

Let's start with this: unreliable narrator.  I cannot say that I liked this book, although I did certainly want to hear how it ended, bumping it up that .25.

I spent the first third annoyed at the narrator for having agreed to be part of a situation for which she was constitutionally unsuited, and then got incredibly uncomfortable during the second third because, from her POV, there was a hell of a lot of gaslighting. Her turning out to actually be delusional was perhaps to be expected, but it wasn't what I had prepared myself for from reading the blurb, ,and I find myself more than a little disappointed that that's where the author went with it.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Confinement, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Alcoholism

meluelmil's review

dark fast-paced

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

2.0

Started off interesting, but the ending fell flat. I love a good unreliable narrator, but this was too much. Many triggering topics that were not well addressed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Stalking, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, and Violence