Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

A corrente by Adrian McKinty

4 reviews

gwenswoons's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Holy fuck this was so good. It’s been a while since I have read a thriller so totally addictive and masterfully crafted and I could NOT get enough. This was in the category of The Last Housewife and others like that for me, just totally gripping faves I will remember for a long time! I found myself listening to it for hours at home — I’m usually an audiobook reader on my  drives to commute to and from work, and on regular longer drives in and out of town, so when I can’t stop listening even at home I know I’m totally absorbed.

I’m so impressed by a book that both makes its characters do terrible things and makes us root for them anyway. The villain characters are SO FUN in addition to being monstrous and I thought all of the self-referential philosophical and academic nuggets just added to the humor.

January LaVoy is completely amazing narrating the audio — I have loved her work many times before but the disguised voice and all the different characters in this one were SO great and so scary.

It’s so fantastic and also truly grisly. Every possible trigger warning.

I saw some of the turns coming (not way far away, and not in an unpleasant way) but still was TOTALLY thrilled at the dénouement (like, a package got delivered and my dog started barking and I almost passed out from sudden terror  🤣), and thought the pacing of the book was so effective overall. I cannot WAIT to read more Adrian McKinty!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

shesflippinpages's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

taelights's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book really hooked me from the first chapter. The concept was just so interesting to me and exploring the lengths people will go to save a loved one has always been a topic I've found interesting in media. So from the get go I love this book. 

However, it kind of lost me in the second half. The first half focused on the topics I liked. It had great pacing and tension, moments that had me on the edge of my seat, and so many intriguing characters and choices.

The second half had potential because exploring the aftermath of the trauma could have been super interesting but it went in a totally different direction than what I wanted. I thought what the author decided to go with was super unrealistic and overdramatic. Also the characterization of the person running the Chain was just so bad lol. 

Also, I thought the ending was

way too happy? Like I love happy endings, don't get me wrong, but this one was unrealistically happy. The characters expierence so much trauma in the book yet seemed to fully get over it super fast. Also the "babies ever after" trope was really unnecessary in this book. Honestly the romance to begin with was unnecessary but the baby especially. Like ah yes what an on and off cancer patient and her drug addict boyfriend who she's only with due to a trauma bond definitely need a baby.

Anyways this could have been a 5 star read but unfortunately the second half of the book knocked it down to a 4 star for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Pregnancy

hannalizzy's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

3.0

Really interesting premise, and it’s definitely a moral dilemma that gets you thinking. It sparked some interesting conversations in my house. I’m glad that they didn’t gloss over the trauma this whole experience would cause the young girl in the story, that felt realistic. I did not enjoy the love interest or the addiction subplot. Overall interesting premise, but I felt like the second half of the book lacked the same adrenaline rush of the first part. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, and Gaslighting