Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

108 reviews

awkwardthumbs's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

This first entry of the Southern Reach series is sometimes nebulous and hard to grasp, as many strange beginnings are. You must be comfortable not knowing or learning everything, just like the main character. You share an experience with her in that way, and you never feel alone despite the world remaining foreign, ominous, and enticing. 
I was left with a feeling of loss at the end, like I had left some fear and wonder behind in the various locations of Area X. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Suicide, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

insideunder's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing and Medical content

Minor: Self harm

escsmith's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

Honestly I'm still so confused. 
This sets a very vivid scene, I felt like I was in Area X, experiencing this with the Biologist, finding out information with her. I enjoyed the trickles of information you had to piece together. 
It felt like a fever dream or nightmare at times. It is such an odd story and an different way to tell a story. 
I don't feel like this feels finished. I know there are other books, but this book doesn't feel finished. I have so many questions still that when I finished I was like 'oh?'.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Injury/Injury detail

chickelope's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

thegayestghost's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder

picnicatthehangingtree's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A mysterious, weird, surreal read that leaves you wondering in the best way 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Gore, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Minor: Alcohol

This is a very mysterious book where things are not always what they same, and the reader and narrator isn’t sure what is going on. Some things (e.g. psychosis, suicide, institutional gaslighting) could simply be that, or there could be other explanations for it.

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Suicide attempt

moraina's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I'm a bit surprised by the lower ratings on this one! While not a perfect book, the mysteries and existential dread presented in the start of this series are immediately engaging and had me hooked. I think the main area that could have used improvement was the characters themselves - I understood that the point of the mission in Area X is to not know much about the characters, but since we don't establish much of a relationship with them, some of the events of the book pack less punch. VanderMeer also uses a bit of an unlikable and, at times, unreliable narrator despite hercommitment to science. Overall, I found Annihilation to be a great, quick read for sci-fi and horror fans.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism

honeybones'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Cancer, Self harm, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

takarakei's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.25

I have read the introduction written by Karen Joy Fowler included in this version now 3 times. The first time it was sent to me by a friend to convince me to read this book. Then again obviously when I read it. And a third time after I finished I went back and read it again, to really understand what the hell was going on! (Sometimes I just need to read analysis of something to fully comprehend it) That third time really blew my mind! WOW!

The only thing I didn't love about this was the flashback parts about the MC's life prior to the expedition. I understand they were included to build context for her relationship with her husband and why our MC even decides to go on the expedition. But they oddly went into a bit of a lit-fic-y kinda realm, which to me felt a little out of place with everything else going on. I just cared way more about what was happening on the expedition and found myself less interested in her husband in general *shrug*

I do think I will probably read the rest of this series in physical form vs doing exclusively audio to be able to follow along better!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, and Sexual content