Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

You by Caroline Kepnes

74 reviews

charkelley's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Probably would have liked this a lot less if I hadn’t listened to the audiobook. The narrator does a fantastic job. 

You is essentially about a deeply troubled psychopath who falls into obsession with a deeply troubled writer, though Beck’s selfish tendencies certainly didn’t warrant her gruesome demise. Joe’s narration was the best part. Still managed to be funny while making me want to scrub my skin raw with a sponge.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Car accident, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

coco78337's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bookwormnici's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Blood, Car accident, and Gaslighting

alicelalicon's review against another edition

challenging dark fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcohol

theyannibannireads's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

It was good, tried reading it before but that's when I thought it was a dark romance. It wasn't.  This book is a horror book, Joe is a psychopath, a fucking stupid misogynist. It was incredible creepy and off-putting reading his thoughts. How he explains away his actions and opinions even when they harm/ kill people and then him explaining away everything, how he's actually the "victim" . I've meet men who have bits of Joe and it made me realise he's kinda just made up off little bits of the everyday man. Which just adds to the terror/horror of this book. The story really is just the the journey of a mad man. So the plot is kinda non existent. Its about the lengths he'll go to to make his  delusions come true .He's a unreliable narrator so we only see / understand the other character  from his pov so we never really get to know them. His assumptions about them aren't true so we never really know who they are. Like they all just felt like half made. I was just stuck with Joe, the last person on earth want to spend time with. 

This is one of those times I like the book but dislike everyone in it. Think most of the like comes from the authors writing, its good. It feels like reading a diary. So maybe that's why it's good, its a easy read even better if your listening to the audiobook, which I did. 

All in all I liked it but just to clarify this is not a romance book its a horror book everything that happened to the women in this book is tragic. Joe should be in prison. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

lmbo138's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

molly_greenshields's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Eating disorder and Car accident

newkgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Joe Goldberg is the type of character that you love to hate and hate to love. His inner monologue takes you on a wild ride of absolute delusion, pretension, and a complete lack of self awareness.

And Joe is in love with Guinevere Beck, or rather the idea of her he’s created in his head while stalking her. 

Joe is a completely unreliable narrator as he takes us through his world, giving everyone but Beck the least amount of thought and consideration. No one but her is as deep or emotionally mature as him. No one is as well read as him and her, no one matters but her. 

When obstacles to their love pop up; a boyfriend here, a friend who wants her for herself there, and a therapist who becomes obsessed as well, Joe will do anything to “protect” Beck and keep them together. What’s a little murder in the name of love? 

“You are a monster, deathly, solipsistic to the bone and you’re blasphemous because all you want is You.” 

Caroline Kepnes’ ability to create a character such as Joe Goldberg is, to me, truly astounding and at the same time, quite unnerving. Caroline, are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Do you need help?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

thepeonyinink's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

mary_alexander's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting