Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum

16 reviews

oktrouble1401213's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-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

5.0

It feels horrific to give a book like this 5 stars. This book made me feel sick multiple times. But it’s a story that deserves to be told and I don’t think the writing could have been any more perfect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Murder, Body horror, Vomit, Rape, and Confinement

lunahbee's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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

3.0

Listen. This book is a tough read. Not because of the writing but because of the subject matter. That said, I did enjoy this book because of how many emotions it brought up in me. Most of them not pleasant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Blood, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Self harm, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Pedophilia

Listen to the warnings (Dead Dove Do Not Eat)

aryanjarl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Torture, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Child death, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Rape, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Self harm

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Death, and Car accident

killmoore_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

I was very familiar with the Sylvia Likens case going in to the girl next door, and honestly, I was grateful that Ketchum took it upon himself to narrate the novel in a way that left the most gruesome details to the imagination - what happened to Sylvia was truly terrible, and to describe in detail what happened through a work of fiction would, in a way, be disrespectful.

However, despite being well written and truly gut wrenching, I feel that Ketchum missed the mark on painting a true monster in Ruth. I understand that this is written through the eyes of a child, but it really just skims the surface on what motivates a person to commit these atrocities, let alone the impact a trusted adults actions have on the children in their care. 

Girl Next Door is awful. It is a gruesome depiction of child abuse, grief and depravity, written in a way that is still palatable for the general public. Check your trigger warnings and prepare to have your heart broken. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Torture, Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Rape, Child death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Excrement, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

laniemax's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Sexism, Torture, Vomit, Bullying, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child death, Excrement, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence

waverlyloyd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

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

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

4.0

You are going to want to check the trigger warnings on this one.

I can normally plow through dark books but this one… this one took some time. Knowing this is inspired by the true story of Sylvia Likens made it really hard to push through. 

This was incredibly well written. It was dark, heartbreaking, stomach churning, disturbing, and felt very close to what actually happened to Sylvia. 

Proceed with caution though. This was… a tough one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Murder, Child death, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death, Bullying, Body shaming, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Body horror, Violence, Kidnapping, Gore, Rape, and Physical abuse

clarke's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.0

Are we supposed to sympathise with David? I know this is based on the Sylvia Likens case, but every single one of them should've had a worse fate, IRL and in this book.

This also felt reaaaaally slow to get going, and didn't feel like it was just setting the scene or anything. I'm too desensitised to horror for the graphic scenes to bother me, but I'd advise checking out trigger warnings before reading even if you're familiar with the case.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Murder, Excrement, Incest, Rape, Self harm, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Pedophilia, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Sexual assault

katyannreads's review against another edition

dark tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Fatphobia, Torture, Death, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Car accident, Death of parent, and Eating disorder

This book actually ruined my day. Read it in one sitting. Completely captivating story, devastating. 5 stars because I was so engrossed in the story.

ananamauvais's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Bullying, Self harm, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Body shaming, Child death, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Car accident and Pedophilia