Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

26 reviews

odessablaine's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Alcohol

samburkhouse's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Dementia, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent

Minor: Ableism, Antisemitism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

itsbumley's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

megpancoast's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Physical abuse, Murder, and Pregnancy

greenmind's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

I didn't have any expectations for this one, but I was interested in reading this before watching the movie - and it's a really great book. Unusual and emotionally engaging. As well as packed with adventure, drama and fantastic characters.  

I watched the film adaptation after I finished the book - it was frustratingly crap. Can’t recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Car accident, and Death of parent

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol

butternana's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder

Minor: Death of parent

amy_joy's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Murder

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Confinement, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Excrement, Antisemitism, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Terminal illness, Vomit, Dementia, Trafficking, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

rebwenhall's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I read this book when I was younger and I just re-read it. This book takes me through a roller coaster of emotions. I love the chapters of Jacob when he’s an old man and still has a love for the circus. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Murder

veronicachp's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

4.0

4 star: Would re read and recommend, but had some gripes with it. 

This book has been on my TBR for literally 10 years, and on my bookshelf at home for jist about as long. I honestly assumed I wasn't going to like it and kept putting off reading it, so consider me pleasantly surprised. My main gripes are that a lot of the "gritty" scenes and dialogue feel like they're tossed in there for shock value and not really blended in, and I wish there was a little more emotional development for everyone. The whole novel, including some pretty major character deaths, just reads as kind of stiff, impassive. I would have liked for there to be a little more insight to the characters reacting/processing things and some more focus on the side characters. BUT since it is written from Jacob's perspective and he is not omniscient I can somewhat forgive the whole book being the Jacob and Marlena show. Also TW: If you, like me, struggle with emetophobia, many scenes in this book will make you uncomfortable. Lotta throwing up in this bad boy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit and Death of parent

Moderate: Gore and Violence

Minor: Domestic abuse and Murder