Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Binding by Bridget Collins

36 reviews

shenelle_h's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing

sternfrl613's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

2.75

This was a tough read that opened a couple of wounds I didn't need opening. I only read it till the end because I needed a happy end, and thankfully received one that I can make peace with. 
LGBTQIA*, SA survivors and children of abusive families: check the content warnings before reading to make sure you're up to what you're getting here. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Excrement

louisallama's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

It's a little bit hard for me to review because 1. the blurb doesn't tell you what the story is about and 2. it's not the type of book I usually gravitate towards, due in part to the somewhat misleading blurb (the blurb purposefully did 't including main plot points for story reasons). I was expecting exciting magical memory stuff, but instead this was an extremely character driven novel that was far more focused on the experiences of the main characters and the evil ways that memory binding could be used. Despite this, the story was lovely, and I definitely cried through the end of Part Two when Emmett and Lucien get found out. The prose was very nice, although it got a little flowery for me at times. None of these things are really criticisms of the book itself (except maybe the blurb I guess) and I can definitely see other people loving this book more than me, but I still definitely enjoyed it overall. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Rape, Suicide, Murder, and Outing

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Incest, Physical abuse, Vomit, and Classism

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

thewileyseven's review against another edition

emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.75

I feel complicated in this rating--I really loved the book and, especially once I got to part II, I could hardly put it down! But I also have some major qualms. The uneven pacing left a lot to be desired for me. I understand why Part I was paced the way it was (considering

the impacts of binding on Emmett's mind--I kept wondering why he spent so much time just staring off into space. Now I know!

, but ultimately Parts I and II both dragged in places for me. 

I also agree with another review I read regarding the treatment of women in this book. All completely sidelined, used as plot devices, killed off to further men's emotional development, and worse. Rough! Again, I can understand why, with commentaries on gender violence, historic sexism, and more, but I dunno. The main characters' complicity in this was a bummer. 

Part II, however, sang for me. Beautiful, aching, blossoming. And the system of binding is a splendid magic. Overall, I think this was 100% worth the read for me. But there are just pieces that grated at me a little too much to go unsaid. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Outing, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

maggie1903's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

This books was an absolutely fantastic read. Note that part one is difficult to get through and the main character is unlikeable for the start of the book, but I promise if you piwer through it is well worth is.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

coffee_and_wool's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Outing, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child death, Incest, Pedophilia, and Classism

areen's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Gaslighting

paper_bound's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Child death, Rape, and Sexual assault

oogtube's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

Had a great first part, the buildup in the beginning location was everyone I wanted about a magic bookbinding apprentice- then It kinda moved onto the romance and it all went downhill. It focused FAR too much on the romance and near nothing on the concepts carefully built in the beginning and even kinda- abandoned the beginning tone in a heartless and sudden way that left you not feeling the emotional weight it really should have given. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Kidnapping, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

marleywrites's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

This book took awhile to grow on me, but by the end of part one I was very invested. Seeing all the pieces fall together was extremely satisfying. I loved the angst and the intense emotions. This is one I would consider rereading, especially in the fall/winter. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cursing