Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

37 reviews

coffee_and_wool's review against another edition

Too gross for my weak stomach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Vomit

princess_marie's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Minor: Death, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder

jaedia's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

rorunyon96's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Death of parent

lata's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

3.75

Holy shit, that was pretty sad. AND THE END... WHAT?! the start was boring, but the third part of the book compensates that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

james1star's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This is the third book by Tremblay I’ve read and I will not be reading any more because once again this was just very meh. The story is told through the POV of Merry who is now twenty three as she’s talking with a reporter about the anniversary of a TV show airing that focused on her family. As she’s talking we’re transported back to Merry at age eleven and how her fourteen year old sister Marjorie starts to deal with a mental health illness (schizophrenia?) that is later thought to be the result of her being possessed. Their father consults the ‘expertise’ of a Father Wanderley who pushes for an exorcism. Media coverage of the family begins and so does a TV show leading up to Marjorie’s exorcism. The family deal with financial issues and there’s a possibility Marjorie is faking it but we don’t really know. 

The more horror-ish elements of the book were alright I’d say, it’s more psychological and a lot of Marjorie’s actions were typical of the ‘possessed’ person which were rather gross and unpleasant to read. It did feel a little like a rip-off of the film ‘The Exorcist’ at times and just generally wasn’t the most intriguing read. Much of the story rests on the idea of what is and isn’t the truth and whilst I was interested at the start, I didn’t really care as the book developed and the characters were all very meh that I just lost interest. I think the book can appeal to more people then the others I read by Tremblay (Cabin and Pallbearers) but once again it just fell flat proving to be an unenjoyable reading experience on the whole. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Murder

simp4sneks's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

defeating_my_demons's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

bookishchaos's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The plot was very well constructed and quite unique. All the twists held my attention and the writing was good. The ending was extremely sad and unexpected but well executed. I wouldn't say it was "scary" but definitely unsettling. Would recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

yllex's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail