Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor

54 reviews

darkmatterfiction's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Suicide

megan_wy's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

There were a lot of plot twists in this book. I listened to it on audiobook, so it was a little confusing for me to visualize and follow all of the different characters in the town and many storylines. I enjoyed it, but the many plot lines and few plot holes threw me off at times. I wish they condensed it and chose one or two of the stories to follow as opposed to so many. Overall, it definitely was a dark thriller that I enjoyed. I just needed to take more mental notes to keep track of all the characters in the story and be less confused 🤣 I enjoyed Jack as a character, and learning about her truth at the end was a big shock! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Homophobia

heidi_84's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

mossythreebark's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Pregnancy

hexedmaiden's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Child death

Minor: Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy

_readerfromtheblacklagoon_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Vomit, Stalking, and Pregnancy

gallusquared's review against another edition

dark 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

3.5

The sleepy English village of Chapel Croft has a darkness that clings to it like fog. Newcomer Reverend Jack Brooks, a woman with a past and a teenage daughter, Flo, soon discovers this isn't your average parish. Whispers of unsolved disappearances from decades ago linger, and a disturbing local legend about "burning girls" adds a layer of unease. When it is revealed that the previous vicar died under suspicious circumstances, Jack, with Flo by her side (much to Flo's initial annoyance), gets swept into the investigation. The deeper they dig, the more they unearth a community riddled with secrets, a tangled web of suspicion, and a past that refuses to stay buried.

Tudor weaves a suspenseful tale that will keep you guessing. The atmosphere in Chapel Croft is thick with tension, and the characters, though flawed, feel real. Jack is a protagonist you can't help but root for. Flo, the quintessential teenager trying to fit in while dealing with her mom's baggage, provides a relatable counterpoint. The mystery unfolds at a steady pace, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

However, The Burning Girls isn't without its flaws. The exploration of the supernatural elements feels underdeveloped, leaving some threads dangling. Similarly, a couple of character motivations could have been better fleshed out. Even the ending, while satisfying and with a touch of corniness, might not be the mind-blowing twist some crave.

Despite these minor quibbles, The Burning Girls is a page-turner. If you're looking for a suspenseful mystery steeped in small-town weirdness, prepare to be glued to the story until the very satisfying, if somewhat predictable, conclusion. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Murder

Minor: Pedophilia

stellenelcielo's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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? No

3.75

ngl I started reading this in 2021 and then stopped halfway because life decided to get traumatizing for no reason...but yeah, decided only to finish it because I picked up another book by this author about vampires in Alaska, that I found out in the wild (walmart) and felt I needed to finish this one first. 

I did enjoy finishing it, but felt a lot was going on. I vibed with it anyway, and my only real (minor) criticism is that

Rosie also being a psychopath felt like it came out of left field

, and it was a real missed opportunity to

make Wrigley the sole psychopath, mirroring the online alt-right, misogynistic and incel culture that seems to nurture sociopathy in teenage boys.

I was not prepared for that final reveal, but I mostly chalk that up to taking more than a year to finish the book so my memory of the finer details is a bit fuzzy. Anyway, yeah, was a solid entertaining read, and I look forward to 'The Gathering', which has been waiting on my shelf for the last week.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual violence, Stalking, Murder, and Toxic friendship

joslynhebda's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Blood

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Murder

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Religious bigotry, Stalking, and Outing