Reviews

The Poison Thread by Laura Purcell

Only show reviews with written explanations

tms98's review against another edition

5.0

Wow, na het lezen van The Silent Companions en The Shape of Darkness dacht ik toch wel te kunnen weten wat ik moest verwachten van Laura Purcell, maar met The Corset heeft ze me compleet omvergeblazen. In dit verhaal wordt er afgewisseld tussen de POV's van Ruth en Dorothea met de focus op het levensverhaal van Ruth en hoe ze uiteindelijk in de cel is geraakt. Tijdens het lezen vraag je je constant of wat er nu echt aan de hand is en tot het einde blijf je twijfelen. Geweldig verhaal, geweldig einde, ik kijk al uit naar de volgende boeken van Laura Purcell.

otterlybookish's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

softhesquirrel's review against another edition

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dark 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

4.5

rhie's review against another edition

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dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.0

I had a hard time rating this because I read this pretty fast and it kept me engaged but also there was so much I found kind of distasteful and unenjoyable about it. It was like "watching a car crash" or whatever, I couldn't look away.

It was well written though.

Here are the things I didn't like:

Spoiler

phrenology is based on racism right? Why is this what Dorothea is so obsessed with? It kind of made me dislike her immediately but I couldn't tell if she was supposed to be unlikable?

I thought the end was kind of weird and upsetting and felt rushed? Like the dad thing was introduced late and it all just got wrapped up weirdly like Ruth wasn't guilty so she felt so free but then she died and the dad died from the hankerchief so she was guilty of all those other things?? All that tension on so many levels was built up and totally fizzled out.

Mrs. Metyard having a split personality was pretty idk if salacious is the right word but it felt like a cheap way to keep you invested in a gross way by demonizing split personality as a crazy person thing as well as what felt a bit like transphobia when she became her husband.

Kate's redemption felt incomplete as well. She was complicit but was also a victim which are important factors to consider but Ruth fully forgave her at the end which felt out of character...

Last this is I guess it's based on a real historical murder and trial and I read about it after and felt gross about it. These poor people had a very similar story to the book but it's been written as this grim and gory gothic fantasy.