Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

112 reviews

lizachrisson's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Death, Mental illness, and Torture

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Infertility and Sexual assault

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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

5.0

I loved this way more than I want to admit. It was as twisted as Flowers in the Attic and as delicious as the most decadent chocolate cake. I thought I was going to hate it as the story unfolded, but the second twist immediately undid my reservations. I thought it was going to be a story of the princess waiting to be rescued by the prince. I was extremely wrong and oh so happy to be wrong. And I realize that I love this book because I harbor a modicum of internalized, impotent, simmering rage for all the women who’ve been in Nina and Millie’s positions, myself included (though certainly to a much, much lesser degree). I have a feeling lot of us women identify with these characters more than we want to think about. I’ve read several books by Freida McFadden, and this one is my favorite. I really looking forward to the next one in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

meg1241's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I couldn't put this down! Great twists! I never would've predicted it. My first Freida book, and it got me hooked!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

tourmalinequeen's review against another edition

dark 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

2.25

I read it for book club and I both did and didn't enjoy it. Not my genre but I'm sure it's something that others will enjoy.
The characters serve the plot not the other way around, and the plot surrounds an abusive relationship. It begins with gaslighting and develops quickly to confinement and psychological abuse. If it weren't for the book club I would not have read it. None of the characters are likeable and backstory gets info dumped in awkward expository segments rather than serving the characters or allowing them to develop. Plot is very fast paced and can be enjoyable at times but the unlikeable characters mean I didn't want anyone to succeed in the narrative, there was no sympathetic character even the ones surviving abuse did not come across as sympathetic. It reads like the author wanted it to be a movie or tv show rather than a book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

maryamtrynaread's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

nectarienne's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

omg this book was so fun, a lot of twists and turns, i was genuinely shocked at the ending. i do wish certain scenes were fleshed out longer, it moves very fast especially near the end. great story overall

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

mosha_pl's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

If you can get past the terrible narration it’s a fun little read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Child abuse

Minor: Rape, Murder, and Sexual harassment

emma_sky'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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, and Gaslighting

Minor: Child abuse, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

joyfulfoodie's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

Pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns. Mostly didn’t guess them, couple that I was close ish on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Rape

kshertz's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I love these kinds of books. So much tension and drama and nothing is as it seems. Some parts of the mystery i predicted but most of it I did not! I love that I could not put it down. I need to read the next in the series! 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail