Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Mroczna materia by Blake Crouch

29 reviews

alienguy's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Pandemic/Epidemic

xeroxi's review against another edition

adventurous 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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Stalking and Death of parent

tabea1409's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

kirtreads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

This is the kind of book that is really going to sit with me for a while. I had no idea what this book was really about going into it apart from everyone saying it was a great novel so I really did not anticipate the wild ride that I got. I was never quite sure where it was going and what was happening, so it was a great summer read. 

This book was a lot of fun, and I thought that all the actual science parts were well explained but I never felt too bogged down with information. I thought that Jason was compelling enough to really care about what happens. This book did have a little bit of a perfect white man saviour issue, but it never got obnoxious and I actually think that it thematically helped the novel. Sometimes this really drives me nuts but it didn't become a big issue for me. The two women in the novel are not over the top emotional and total idiots so it has some saving grace. 

I am still mulling over the ending and I am not 100% sold on loving the ending but I think that it was the only way that it all could have ended. This book leaves you with a lot of big questions not only about the story but also philosophically and I am not sure if I love the way that he wrapped up these large ideas. 

My only other complaint is that the pacing dragged a little in the middle. By the nature of the story it was very cyclical but I could have done with a few less cycles. Overall though, I think its a great read if you are looking for something pretty action packed and relatively fast paced outside of the normal thriller genre. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic

shayshays055's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

goldsbuc's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

3.5

Very interesting plot. With peace and love, this book was very obviously written by a man ifkyk. 

I loved the explorations of the other worlds and wish we could have seen more unusual environments. The way the author wrote about women and sex was annoying, from a female perspective. The women in this story are not very well developed and are disappointing. The ending felt rushed and was predictable. Beginning and middle were strongest plot points imo.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Blood

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

_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

melaschnie's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Child death, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Abortion, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

sierrabowers's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative 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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a great science fiction story that is extremely relatable to the average reader. Have you ever wanted to change one decision that you have made and wonder what your life would be like if you had chosen differently? This book realistically answers that question through quantum mechanics and the theory of the multiverse. It sounds insane and it really is, but it also makes you think about your morals and what you would do if you were in the situation that Jason is in. If you’re a science lover and can comprehend complex situations, such as multiple versions of the same character in the same room, then go ahead and read this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

goldenlake's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Stalking