Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

89 reviews

yomireads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

What I love most about this book are the evolving characters. From the beginning to the end of the book I wouldn't say there's a whole lot of growth for any character in particular; however, the non linear story-telling adds complexity to what could easy be written off as "she's good, she's bad, and its always been this way." Though through the haggard circumstances of murder, the fraught nature of sibling dynamics is well realized as they squabble with each other, harp about each other, and love each other.

Usually the overall lack of growth would be a very big disappointment to me, but the sense of dread and feeling of inevitability that surrounds the conclusion of this book feels very nuanced to me. And though it's a small change,

Spoiler

there is a sense of the sister's relationship become more resolute and settled.

 

Stylistically, I also found the chapters to be just a smidgen too short. I don't mind quick chapters, but sometimes keeping the chapters so brief feels like it's cutting the plot and story momentum off at the knees. I know this isnt a largely popular opinion, so take that as you will. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Misogyny and Gaslighting

Minor: Physical abuse and Medical content

samuelbrown23's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-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

4.25

I have to say I did enjoy the comedy and tense sense that was mix into the story. I feel like the main character should definitely seek therapy after all the thing she been though, and as for her sister she just keep murdering due to never really experienced consequences of her actions. The main character take being sister keeper to a completely new level. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Grief, and Domestic abuse

ahhhreadzombiez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

2.75

This book hmm… I got through it very fast (in two days, really) but does that mean I enjoyed it? Well, not exactly. I didn’t enjoy the characters; it’s very hard to read a book when you don’t like a single character in it. And I can’t help but feel I continued to read it because I wanted to just see it through to the end and hope, just really hope that the characters would have some type of development that would make them just a tad bit enjoyable. It was just a tragic story with what felt like no real point. I wish I liked this more, but it just… didn’t do it for me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Murder, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Grief, and Child abuse

Moderate: Rape and Pedophilia

alisonfaith426's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, Child abuse, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death of parent, Infidelity, and Medical content

traa's review against another edition

dark 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Medical content, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Blood, and Infidelity

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Police brutality, and Sexual content

behindherpages's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, and Violence

readbymeg_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

heisiiri's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.25

A fun, fast-paced book that is dark in its themes yet light in its style and narration. This was an extremely quick read, with an interesting yet fairly simple plot.

My main issue was with the characters. Yeah, they're kind of unlikeable on purpose, like they're not supposed to be good people, but sometimes the way they behaved just got on my nerves way too much. I didn't connect with any character in particular - I mostly just felt bad for the main character for having to deal with all these people. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, and Child abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Death

acecatlady's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Only reason this isn't 5.0 is cuz it's so short. This was so frikken good. I loved it a lot. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Minor: Murder

magmck's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective 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

5.0

This book was so fascinating. Also, FUCK TADE.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body horror, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence