Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

8 reviews

jillaay_h's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Alcoholism, Blood, Grief, Child death, Medical trauma, Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

exhumedprince's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Grief, and Suicide

Moderate: Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Classism, and Medical content

Minor: Child death and Self harm

katsmedialibrary's review against another edition

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Mental illness, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Child death

saltedsnail's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death of parent, Mental illness, Animal death, Self harm, Death, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Child death

annaki_laila's review against another edition

mysterious slow-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

2.5

A gothic novel that forgets it's  supposed to be a gothic novel. The first third is promising, the supernatural elements begin to appear and the suspense is there. Then halfway through, the narrator swiftly becomes unlikeable as he initiates a relationship with one of the main characters (with an age gap of over a decade and some generally uncomfortable vibes). The relationship should've been a subplot at most, but it begins to take up far too many pages, and as it continues the narrator just gets more and more selfish and irritating. I began skim-reading some parts at this point because there were so many pages of stuff that was annoying and unrelated to the whole supernatural plot. Having finished the book now, I can safely say that the relationship being romantic was unnecessary. Whatever overarching points about class were being made (which weren't as strong as I thought they'd be based on the blurb anyway) could've been made with the relationship being purely platonic. Anyway!! Rant over, save your time and probably just don't read this book, or read it with lowered expectations, because it really doesn't contain much 'gripping' or 'chilling' content like the blurb describes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm

Minor: Sexual assault and Racial slurs

caseythereader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, and Vomit

nell's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I'm honestly not sure what I think of the story. The movie was pretty boring, so I thought I'd give the audiobook a try, largely because I always enjoy Simon Vance's unparalleled performance.
The book isn't quite as dull as the movie, but the character of the Doctor is so fundamentally unlikeable and judgemental that I don't trust him as the narrator. His objectives are questionable at best, malicious at worst -

but we never know either way

.
So I did enjoy the book, I suppose. But it's not one I'll ever read again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Suicide

Moderate: Animal death and Child death

angelbabe_cj's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book was gifted to me as part of a book exchange, so as much as I have enjoyed Waters' other work I was very apprehensive when I realised the reviews painted it as creepy, something I don't typically enjoy.

I found that I enjoyed the writing and some of the characters. I was impressed the 1950s setting, feeling that Waters had done her research well, or at least well enough to make it evocative of the era. I definitely appreciated the building and releasing of tension, but don't feel it always paid off as well as the reviews would suggest. 

Although I understand it is appropriate to the setting I didn't like the demonisation of mental health problems. It's always something I find rough to deal with, especially if it becomes a big plot point of some kind.

I'll definitely pick up Waters' work again, but probably not if if they're touted to be creepy.  It's just not my thing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Grief, Medical content, and Self harm

The 1950s setting means all medical care/mental health provision is not viewed through a modern lens. Although the POV character is a GP/family doctor I would not consider the medical content to be especially graphic, although it is relatively regular. Nor described in graphic or exhaustive detail. Suicide:

There are two deaths thought to be by suicide, both include descriptions of the bodies, details of the inquests and one has some details of a post mortem.

Forced institutionalization: This is discussed for more than one character. On mental health grounds.

There are details of the process of committing someone to institutional care in multiple cases, as well as descriptions of the care at an institution multiple times. These are not modern facilities and few positive changes are seen in the patient who is a named character.