Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Mroczna materia by Blake Crouch

33 reviews

princess_marie's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

_david_'s review against another edition

dark hopeful 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

2.0

Oof to me, every part of this book missed its mark. In general I found everything in the book a bit over the top. 

First of all, Jason is supposed to be a genius. Yet it takes him ages to even think of the theory which can be figured out as a reader very quickly. If you've figured it out before Jason, there's not much joy in reading the story until he has figured it out too. You're just waiting and turning the pages until he does and you can finally continue. The way he acts is so hard to relate to. It's very hard to imagine the situations he encounters so it's hard to emphasize with his choices. However, at least after it all goes wrong once you'd think he change his behaviour right? 

Secondly, I'd like to discuss the science behind it. To me, it's very noticable that what we're reading has been written by an author who wanted to tell a story and then looked up the physic theories which would fit it best. The logic is not consistent and some of it almost works like magic. Yet the characters in the book use big words and existing theories to clarify the science behind it all. This is a very personal ick, I've barely ever encountered a piece of media that manages to do this well. The only ways I have seen this be pulled off, is to make up your own very clear very consitent rules or just pretend it's magic and do not explain it beyond what is necessary. 

My favourite part of the book beyond the very first chapter, in which Jason only talks about his family night and life choices, are the final few chapters. Yet I wish they pushed a little further. Let Jason be a little more selfish or a little more existential. I've read another review which points out a major flaw related to the inconsistent physics which did ruin these last chapters for me as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Drug use, Mental illness, Police brutality, Car accident, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical content and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Child death and Sexual content

kellyisntcool's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful informative inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Reminds me why sci-fi is one of the coolest genres and how much I loved reading it when I was younger.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Sexual content

risaleel's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Murder, and Gaslighting

aleyajo's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Man Jason loves his wife. Kept me on the edge of my seat; some stuff was predictable, some stuff wasn’t. Super fun read and creative. Ending felt a little too convenient but whatever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

iono's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Abortion, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

linwood's review against another edition

challenging 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? No

3.25

While I felt the need to finish this book, I am not certain that I enjoyed it. It is dark, tense, violent and often lonely. There are some surprising moments and it raises questions for the reader about humanity and science. I recognize the talent of the author and that it is well written, however the experience of reading it is not a pleasant one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

one_womanarmy's review against another edition

dark informative sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

An excellent romp through quantum entanglement and multiverse theory, with Blake Crouch's usual romantic nihilism and fast violence to keep the blood pumping. A grand finale collates around a somewhat over explored set of central themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

cooldudenick's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad tense fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Violence, and Murder