Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

35 reviews

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

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

Minor: Blood

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Gaslighting

Minor: Body horror, Gore, Blood, and Vomit

meg_thebrave's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I really liked the premise of the book. I think Gyre and Em are well written characters. This could have been a shorter story; sometimes too repetitive, as Gyre wandered the caves. The biggest horror of the story was the body horror, Gyre’s suit, and the claustrophobia of the tunnels.

The Tunneler reveal was underwhelming, but I appreciated that most of the climax involved Gyre’s waning sanity and physical injuries.

I’d definitely read something shorter by this author, who is skilled at character exploration. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Death of parent

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

kurumipanda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• 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

3.0

I liked this. The caving parts were excellent: atmospheric, unsettling, terrifying. The dialog and relationship development were weaker - it seemed to develop too quickly/strongly with too little substance. Some story decisions felt inconsistent and illogical, and I wish the author had gone further with the sci-fi and cave ecology aspects. The audio narrator is great, though hearing the dialog aloud may have exacerbated some of my issues with it. Overall worth the read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

Minor: Body horror, Drug use, Vomit, and Gaslighting

kylieqrada's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

This was sooo atmospheric and creepy!! I would not last 10 minutes in this situation let alone however long Gyre was down there. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Medical content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

wickedmitch's review

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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Gaslighting

brioches22's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

solleron's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional relaxing fast-paced

5.0

i was in a cafe reading this. i think i was alone. i flailed like crazy

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

wrenny03's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

Do not go into The Caves. The Caves are alive and malicious and they want you dead. This book fucks.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Vomit, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Confinement, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood

Minor: Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail