Reviews tagging 'Torture'

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

15 reviews

czoltak's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Torture

Moderate: Murder, Death, and Classism

thereadingdude's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Blood

Minor: Torture and Vomit

tucci_3's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

Set in 1937, Jack leaves his lonely and poor life in London to join an Arctic expedition to a remote, uninhabited bay (Gruhuken) as a specialist wireless operator. Although the explorers are full of excitement and hope, there is an unsettling mystery about Gruhuken. 

This was my first adult ghost story and so I was unsure what to expect but wanted to keep an open mind. I thought the first half of the book was quite slow-paced, though I really enjoyed the way Michelle Paver conveyed the beauty, peace and elements of danger within the Arctic. Contrasting dark and light imagery was excellent in building an unsettling atmosphere. I also thought the journal format was very fitting for a ghost story, to truly experience Jack's isolation and fear and for a sense of unreliable narration. 

There was a lot more darkness to the story than I had expected but this in turn made it a very chilling experience and left me questioning people's actions when there are thought to be no consequences. 

I wasn't really invested in the relationships between the explorers, but instead I was rooting for Jack and Isaak (the husky) as that felt real. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Torture

eli_jw's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

So good and so spooky

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fatphobia, and Grief

Minor: Torture and Death

oxfordjrr's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Torture

kstericker's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Confinement, and Violence

Minor: Vomit, Classism, and Torture

shonavtj's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Torture

Minor: Classism

tamara_joy's review

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

I needed a sweater when reading this book; it's that descriptive of the Arctic. It's quiet and tense, yet is a fast read because it never lets up.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder

odrib's review

adventurous dark mysterious sad 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Torture, and Fatphobia

Minor: Animal death, Classism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, and Vomit

taysa_gzd's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.75

I loved the ambiance, the format and the characters! Also loved

Spoiler

unexpected gay story

in the year 1937

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Torture, and Death

Minor: Animal death