Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

103 reviews

mcbadger's review

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment

Minor: Vomit and Classism

gia0203's review

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was absolutely delicious. On the surface, this story is a claustrophobic nightmare about a caving mission that, from the outset, should be completely doomed. Beneath that, the narrative represents the cyclical nature of trauma and how grief can make monsters of us all.

The twisted and codependent relationship between Gyre and Em is the strongest part of the novel. Even as they betray one another, they must rely on each other, and this dynamic means that the long climbing sequences and continuous fights for survival never seem dull. They’re so messed up and yet you root for both of them, despite everything. 

There is also always hope. Against all the odds, Gyre and Em still believe things will work out. And I’m thankful that

this hope meant something, and that the author honoured it in the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Minor: Blood

fanni_ambr_'s review against another edition

tense slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

Hallucinations, amputation

ghosthermione's review against another edition

3.75

I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first time around. I thought the audio format would make it spookier and really bring out the huis-clos effect, but it didn't really. It was more impressive when I was reading it on paper and imagining the atmosphere for myself. Also, I have a lot more complicated feelings about the ending than I did the first time around. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

thehal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Body horror, Gore, Blood, and Vomit

leweylibrary's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

1.75

Ngl I'm shocked I finished this one 😅 I think I really just wanted to know for sure whether

Em's mom was actually down in the cave or not.

Basically, it was just way too slow with too little of consequence happening to keep me interested, especially since the WHOLE BOOK except the very last chapter are in this cave. I kept losing track of where the MC was in the cave and why because it all just felt the same?

AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT

THE ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP??

NO. Just no. On so many levels wtf. I kind of want to recommend this book to someone just so I have someone to hate on this part with 😅 it makes absolutely no sense for the characters and feels incredibly forced on top of being toxic AF.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical trauma

keen's review

dark emotional tense

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

higgindasz's review

dark emotional sad slow-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Abandonment

theqwerty's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit

hayleyham's review

dark tense slow-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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit