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shutupsylvia's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
2.0
"We all want things we can't have. Being a decent human being is accepting that."
WARNING: unpopular opinion ahead!!
I've had my eyes on The Collector for quite some time now as a possible title for the Reading Through The Centuries challenge. I'm trying to get in as many challenges as possible early this year, so I decided to finally pick up The Collector and see what I would make of this classic. My first impression was without doubt a positive one, and I absolutely loved my time with Frederick's POV. He is such a fascinating (and tragic) character, and his emotional state and reactions really take the story to the next level. I fully expected this book to be a new favorite... Up until the POV suddenly switches to Miranda's diary. Suddenly, things went downhill FAST. Miranda is such a despicable, self-centered and snobbish character, and I absolutely hated having the spend time inside her head. I couldn't bring myself to feel not even the tiniest bit sorry for her, and to make things worse her diary entries are mainly not even focused on her time trapped, but are instead ramblings about her 'superior' world views and life as well as her 'special' relationship with G.P. I started to despise her more and more with each page, and I kept wishing Frederick would just kill her already so that I could avoid more suffering. What a way to completely ruin the first fantastic 40% of the story... I confess that I only made it to the end because I started skimreading and skipping all the bits where Miranda talked about G.P. or her life outside. The ending was a major anticlimax as well, although by then I was already feeling hugely disappointed with this book in the first place.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Gaslighting
niamphoone's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
vivalahelios's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Moderate: Death and Injury/Injury detail
billiesgotbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Racism and Injury/Injury detail
bentenuala's review
- 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
0.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
funkypenguin3000's review
- 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
OK i was so bored at the beginning (esp the beginning of part 2 like ugh get on with it babe) but got into a reading frenzy in the last 80 or so pages and the end freaked me out sooooo much, like, it was so absurd (but also not?? like i could see that happening) but so freaky and ahh
like when miranda's part started i found it a fucking drag. hearing her talk about her life outside the room. but about halfway through i really began to see myself in her, i think the author had a really good way of describing like. quarter life crisis and wanting to be a good person but being conflicted. also, the stockholm syndrome esque development was fun to explore. i especially liked how ferd thought she was truly warming up to him but she wanted to escape the whole time. but still felt bad for him? and i get that like honestly i kinda related to ferd at points as well
There were so many quotes in mirandas part that i thought were really touching? i cant find them now and of course i didnt write them down when i saw them lol. but i loved how her diary entries seemed so real. how they were at times sooo pretentious but i could see the woman behind them. or how she could see the irony. theres so much irony in this book you could talk for ages about it. like all of ferds offhand comments are honestly kind of funny. like when he was like "im normally not prone to do anything absurd" or something and like??? buddy. you literally just kidnapped someone!
My final note, is I should have known that there was no chance (for him or miranda) when he decided to put a bright orange carpet in the cellar. and he thought it looked lovely
Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, and Violence
Minor: Death, Drug use, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Death of parent, and Dysphoria
dear_alice's review
- 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
Moderate: Ableism, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death
keen's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism, Car accident, and Death of parent