Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

70 reviews

ferrozm's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Very disturbing read. The realism and mundaneness of the characters and their environment makes this sad book feel like this could just as easily be happening in any ordinary neighborhood. The violence deals a lot with issues of femininity and adult authority in relation to children. 

Could be very triggering. Beware.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

bookdeviant86's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

ewwa18's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent

rhysied's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

This book has left me an empty husk of a human, wondering how the hell someone can do this to another person. Because I know the story is based off a real crime. 
I cry for Meg, I cry for humanity. I cry for me a little bit.
This book made me need a hug.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

thereadingdude's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Alcohol

Minor: Homophobia

fourmorechapters's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

This book is incredibly disturbing. Please check TW. I’m honestly considering whether or not it is a book I want to keep on my shelf because I don’t want to be reminded of imagery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

madelinequinnee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

Utterly heartbreaking 

I picked up this book after researching the Sylvia Likens’ case and finding out this was based on it. I think this did a pretty good job fictionalising the case whilst still educating you on what happened. 

Each scene was absolutely gripping and disturbing, but i think the thing that got me the most was that Meg’s younger sister Susan had to witness her sister’s abuse and was physically unable to do anything about it. She was there til the very end, even witnessing her death, and that just really broke my heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

charrock's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

princess413's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Based off of real events that are beyond disturbing. It made me want to jump into the story and give Ruth a taste of her own medicine. This book will leave you feeling sick, sad, horrified. Like watching a trainwreck and not able to look away.  Read trigger warnings, not for everyone. Very hard to stomach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

abihickford's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail