Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor

31 reviews

whiskeywoman79's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

 Fiction / Horror / Mystery / Thriller / Crime / Suspense
⭐⭐⭐/5
TW: SA (graphic once, but mentioned in different ways throughout)

I am not sure what to say about this story. It was creepy. It had its good parts and its bad parts? I was left confused and underwhelmed? I am rather unsure how I feel about it as a whole.
 

 
I feel like the author kept trying to justify inappropriate adult-child relationships. Like the one that was forced was bad, but because the young girl liked the teacher back that one wasn't bad, TF?!! Both shouldn't have happened, and neither should be condoned.
Can we also acknowledge that he was sexually assaulted!! They kept glazing over that Other than when he asked about the accusation made at the church "What he did to you - some people would give that same name."
I have no idea how it won the awards it did.
Will like this if you like Stephen King? For me it is like SCI Fi movies it's the B-rated version of Stand By Me.
I grew up in a small US town in the 1980s, yet I felt so disconnected from the flashbacks, maybe it is a UK v US thing? I never believed they were 80's kids.
I had such high hopes for this read because The Burning Girls is one of my 5-star reads for this year, after DNFing The Drift, and now my experience with this I am starting to think it was a one-off. 

I am using this for a challenge I am just not sure which one yet. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Chronic illness, Cursing, Gore, Dementia, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Car accident

lallabc's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Rape and Abortion

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense

• Loveable characters? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cursing, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Suicide, Car accident, Abortion, and Pregnancy

bobinsbooknook's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Overall I did enjoy this read a lot with some of the foreshadowing being really well done. I liked the dual timeline plot to see the impact of the secrets and lies.

C.J Tudor does really well in writing out an intriguing horror scene and each chapter left on some form of a cliff hanger which made it quite compelling to read. There were a lot of twists to keep track of by the half point way - some stronger than others.

The fact that 2 different characters had inappropriate age related relationships felt a bit lazy.

I wanted to rate this book higher but the wrapping up of mysteries feel a bit short for me and I did feel a little lost at times. Though the final 4 pages - Wow! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Dementia, Car accident, Abortion, and Alcohol

Minor: Rape, Suicide, and Death of parent

tlskayte's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, and Car accident

mithrun's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

3.75

it was a fun read, there’s some strange plot holes and loose ends but the mystery wraps up kinda succinctly. 
definitely do not read if you are squeamish about violence wrt children!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Pedophilia

Minor: Child abuse

lousyreader157's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• 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: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Blood, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Gore, Suicide, Medical content, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Child abuse, Self harm, Car accident, and Abortion

castamere's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Death of parent

rochelleisreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Car accident, Abortion, Alcohol, and Classism

A boy is raped orally. It is very disturbing, and the event is brought up a handful of times afterwards.

killmoore_'s review against another edition

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

3.5

This had all the makings for a really great thriller, but man oh man did the ending fall flat for me. 

I was not impressed with the whodunit reveal. I feel like out of all the options we had, all the paths we were led down, this was by far the most disappointing outcome. **I was hoping for it to be our MC, ngl**. There were too many plot holes, and too many quick attempts to plug half of them with more confusion, and the whole plot could have been flushed out a lot more. 

However - The build up was thrilling, and it was a very fun read that kept me hooked from the beginning. A pretty graphic SA scene that I could have lived without, and the dog dies, but enjoyable none the less. I'd pick up more of Tudors work!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail