Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater

17 reviews

libhollywood's review

dark emotional tense fast-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

4.75

Busted out the notes app for this one!! Such an interesting read: so bouncy, bright and readable but also BEYOND tense and emotional. I loved the beginning a bit more than the ending (

when Roach as a more sinister character was still unfurling/still more sympathetic, though I think the transition to full villain was well done

) but the whole thing was fascinating. Raised heaps of interesting discussion about the ethics of true crime, including thoughts I’ve considered many times before and ideas that were completely new. Especially fun to reflect on my years as a bookseller/the industry as a whole. Feels like I could read this book and follow these characters forever. 🌟

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Violence, Grief, Stalking, and Murder

Minor: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Mass/school shootings, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

lroseb's review

dark funny mysterious tense fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

melusinedln's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.25

I loved the setting of this thriller : most of the novel takes place in a bookshop. The first 100 pages were fun to read, but the book became boring, slow-paced and repetitive until around page 330, right before the end. The end also feels slightly disappointing, as it feels like nothing has really evolved for the characters since the beginning. However, the writing style was pleasing to read and I liked the themes and the criticism of true crime and its community.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Vomit and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal cruelty

addie's review against another edition

dark sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Murder and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent

itsbumley's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

elgin's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism

Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Stalking, and Dysphoria

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

beth_s98's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

2.5

Honestly, this book wasn’t for me, and I only finished it partially out of spite. I hated Roach,

and while I think that’s kind of the point, I struggled to get through her chapters.

I liked Lauren, and a lot of the other characters were interesting.

I hate in the end that Lauren doesn’t get true peace, and we are left with Roach walking back into her life.

There were just so many moments that I felt were either unnecessary or just beyond plausibility. I don’t think the writing was bad, but I was not a fan of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Mass/school shootings

thebookcident's review

dark mysterious 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

I don't often read crime/ thrillers, but I really enjoyed this one. The switching POV helped give me a needed break from each character and added to the tension. I think Slater had done a great job of creating two distinct voices for each character, that each leaves the reader feeling a certain way. Both of the protagonists are heavily flawed and I would say unlikeable, which I quite liked. I don't need to like a character to want to read them. 
I found lots of visually evoking imagery was used that rinsed my pallet from the darker themes in this novel. 
Also, Slater really captures the feeling of being a retail working over the Xmas period PERFECTLY. 😅
Would recommend as a summer read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

laurajordensharris's review

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

teatunesandtales's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.75

I couldn't put this book down, nor get it out of my head. It's gruesome and raw and I'm unnerved by the ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail