Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

62 reviews

jaydub0221's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Since this sequel serves a purpose of tying up loose ends & filling in the blanks, it wasn’t as thrilling or nail-biting as “The Family Upstairs”. BUT that being said, I still enjoyed it for what it was and I was happy to delve back into the lives of the Lambs. I appreciated the additional storylines and characters that tacked onto the original story, and although the loose ends were tied up just a liiiiiittle too neatly for my liking, I would still recommend this to anyone that has read the first (and if you haven’t read the first, you absolutely should).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Dementia, and Abortion

paperpetal's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I read The Family Upstairs in 2020, and I recalled enjoying it. This was a less a mystery and more of a tame thriller, but I still enjoyed it. A little slow in the beginning, but picks up quickly. I haven’t picked up a mystery/thriller in a while, but this put me in the mood to start reading more of that genre again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

knikchevich's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Death of parent

michelles_book_nook's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

⚠️ CW: murder, child abuse, domestic abuse, gaslighting, rape, blackmail, grooming and suicide ⚠️ Wow Lisa Jewell certainly didn't disappoint with this sequel to The Family Upstairs and I absolutely adored it! On an early June morning in London a bag of human bones is discovered on the foreshore of the Thames leading to DCI Samuel Owusu being called to the scene as he quickly sends off the bag for forensic examination. The bones are those of a young woman, killed by a blow to the head many years ago. Also inside the bag is a trail of clues, in particular the seeds of a rare tree which lead DCI Owusu back to a mansion in Chelsea where, nearly thirty years previously, three people lay dead in a kitchen and a baby waited upstairs for someone to pick her up. The clues point toward a brother and sister in Chicago searching for the only person who can make sense of their pasts and with four deaths, an unsolved mystery and a family whose secrets can't stay buried forever the story is far from over. This book was so intricate and complex from start to finish and had me absolutely hooked. The breadcrumb trail of information throughout as you slowly piece together various pov's, character developments and pieces from the first book truly grip you and take you on such an incredible rollercoaster ride of twists, turns and shocking revelations. Overall, I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicide, Murder, and Gaslighting

norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

brynhayes's review against another edition

adventurous 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

jacs63's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

2.0

** spoiler alert ** I was told by someone that this wasn't very good, and boy, were they right. 
It was truely awful and so disappointing, as so many people rave about Lisa Jewell.
I borrowed this one from the library and saved my money, and I'm glad I did. 
I read in the 'Acknowledgements' that she wasn't going to write a sequel, but she gave in to pressure from her fans. Well, she needs to develop a back-bone.

I gave the book 2 stars, just for the fact that I am sure LJ can write. I'm just not sure that this is her best work. 

The first book was 'good'. A bit over-hyped, as all books are these days, with pages and pages of adulation from other famous authors and social media people. 
I was mildly underwhelmed though, but thought it was 'ok.' A different type of story, but it went on a bit. 

This book is so much worse. 
Nothing actually happens in it. 
It's so BORING. 
So many plot holes. 
Interpol are a bit 'pants', aren't they? Knowing all about Lucy and Henry etc but letting them travel back to the UK on false passports, and doing nothing. 
Rachel's character was a waste of good paper. 
I only read the book really, because her most intriguing character in the first book, Phin, might make an appearance. Except he doesn't. Not till the last 2 chapters or so. And he does nothing. What a wasted opportunity. 
LJ introduces a new character, with the Detective investigating the case, but even he can't save the story. He's so under-written. 
There's one suicide from a secondary character, who does it to save another character. 
There is a character who rapes someone, but this isn't new. He did it in the last book. 
And.........nothing else. 

I can't believe anyone gave this 4 or 5 stars, but then again there no accounting for taste, as they say. 
My recommendation is, give it a miss. It's awful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.25

I didn't realize that this was the sequel to The Family Upstairs when I started, and I probably would have waited a bit to be a better headspace because of all of the assault. But I still really enjoyed it, and I like the author's storytelling a lot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Infidelity and Grief

laurareads_bcn's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I prefered the first one, but it still was a nice book.

I didn't quite like part 4, I feel like it could have been different. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

katie_el's review against another edition

1.5

Disappointed by this one. Literally adds nothing to the story we didn't already know. Could have been an epilogue in the first book. A cash grab I reckon. Nothing more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting