Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke

6 reviews

chrisscorkscrew's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

cosypuck's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious

4.5

Great plot and great Gothic vibes but I struggled to differentiate between the dual timelines because the narrators' voices were so similar.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Rape, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Homophobia, Infidelity, Car accident, Abortion, and Lesbophobia

brittsuek's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

what_heather_loves's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? No

4.0

"Did I dream it all? Or was my mind playing tricks on me? Things always seem different in the dark, especially a dark forest in the dead I night. Even more so an ancient wood that is full of gnarled, ghostly trees...
The truth is, I want to believe that I dreamed it all, I really do. It would be a hundred times easier than the alternative...A ghost, and unlike any ghost I've ever seen depicted in a film, or read of in a book.
Something unspeakably evil is stalkjng the grounds of Lichen Hall."

This historical and gothic thriller is set in two time-frames (1959 and 1965) in fictional Lichen Hall, in the Scottish borders. Protagonists Mabel and Pearl are pregnant and unmarried and have come to stay to give birth and have their babies adopted. There's an ancient woodland with spooky folkore, ever-encroaching fungus and creepy Mrs Whitlock to contend with, as the women's stays become a nightmare. Tackling themes of motherhood, patriarchy and slavery, it's beautifully written, making the characters feel real. I found it atmospheric and ominous, recommended in particular to fans of Laura Purcell and Stacey Halls.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Pregnancy

Moderate: Confinement, Misogyny, and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse, Rape, and Abortion

rhi_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident

tamara_joy's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Very creepy, very... fungal.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Abortion, Abandonment, and Classism