Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Collector by John Fowles

8 reviews

meenot's review

dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Minor: Murder

jo_jo_la_pinks's review

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

silver_lining_in_a_book's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

 

I am one in a row of specimens. It's when I try to flutter out of line that he hates me. I'm meant to be dead, pinned, always the same, always beautiful. He knows that part of my beauty is being alive, but it's the dead me he wants. He wants me living-but-dead.

This book took me by total surprise. If not for a friends recommendation and insistence on me giving this book a try, I don't think I ever would have. I am so glad I did; not because I enjoyed the reading experience or found the plot particularly entertaining, it was quite the opposite. It was the character building, exploration of class-structures in society and the portrayal of our obsession with all things superficial and beautiful that really stood out to me and made this book worth reading.

There is a lot of emphasis on a person's ability to create and to progress, our complex thoughts and actions being what makes us human and how the desire to hoard, capture and collect kills the beauty in whatever it is that you seek to preserve. I am certain that there is a lot in this book that I missed, but I certainly felt for the characters - Frederick disturbed me immensely and I absolutely loved Miranda and wanted her to be alright. Reading from her perspective made me feel more claustrophobic and near-panic than I have ever felt while reading a book. It is incredible to me that John Fowles was able to transfer her feelings and thoughts so vividly through pages, and as letter / diary entries no less.

It is very difficult to rate a book like this. As I have said before, it is not fun to read, but it is not meant to be; it is disturbing, triggering and ultimately very unsatisfying, but it is unique and incredibly successful in achieving what Fowles set out for it to accomplish. He deserves high praise, I doubt many writers would be able to create what he managed to here. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexism, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, and Classism

Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Alcohol

abby_dexar's review

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Genuinely enjoyed the book, especially from the perspective of written two different point of views! Fowels created great, believable and motivated characters and a story that intrigued, scared and fascinated me at the same time. It’s dark, triggering and well-written. Yes, it’s unhealthy and creepy, so be careful if you want to read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder

izzystorm's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism

Minor: Sexual violence

helenahao's review

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexual harassment

bentenuala's review

dark sad tense slow-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

0.25

I did not like reading this book, the writing was good, but the plot and characters weren’t, maybe they were at the time it was written, but not for the 21st century. World building was almost nonexistent too, overall, not something I’d recommend to read in either your free time, or for school. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder

keen's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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