Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Parti en fumée by John Marrs

8 reviews

book_buzz's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

John Marrs is a plot twist king, and this book is no different. The characters were easy to develop feelings towards. Katherine was easy sympathize with. Her husband, Simon, was easy to hate. As a USA resident, the audiobook helps really put you in their lives. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment

valoux143's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

Wooooow

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

mysteriesandhistories's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.5

If you look up “page turner” on Wikipedia, you’ll find a picture of John Marrs. No, not really. But you should. The king of the chapter-end cliffhanger and the spine-tingling single sentences that make you go “what???”  He also doesn’t shy away from nasty crimes and this book contains one of the worst and most upsetting. The only thing about this book I’d change is that I’d have liked another chapter to describe the aftermath of events and what happened to the innocent parties. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Dementia, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal death and Suicide

sammarzolf's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Simon was an insufferable character who is a narcissist and a coward. He never takes accountability for his actions and justifies his evil nature with things people have done to him in his past. This book is heavy and emotional but well written. Please check trigger warnings before reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

gosetawashi's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Alcohol

glauren4556's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and Abandonment

inasiche's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

The book is a bit slow paced, but I enjoyed it. It's told from two points of view (Catherine and Simon), with the timelines alternating between the past and the present, to show how both Catherine and Simon deal with his disappearance from their lives.

Hurt people hurt people.  The book does highlight the importance of dealing with your issues, before they deal with you. Simon made so many irrational decisions that led to so much irreparable damage to those around him.  He was selfish, and only thinks about himself and his pain. In the end, he learns that he only has himself to blame for his life turning out the way it eventually does.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

After my last John Marrs book, I didn't really have high hopes for this one, but I heard it was really good so I decided to give his books another try and I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I was sort of in a slump while I was reading this so it really helped in getting me back into reading again. I do have to say that the book did start off pretty slow to where I even thought maybe his books just aren't for me and that I'll have another "miss". However, I was still intrigued as to what led Simon to do what he did so I powered through it and I do have to say it was worth it (for me at least). I think around the 25%-30% mark is when things started to pick up for me; I really started enjoying the book after that. I was eating up all the drama that was unfolding and I was just itching for more with each chapter (the chapters are long though). Also, it did take me a while to get used to the two perspectives in the middle of each chapter as the current timeline that happens after each chapter, but I got used to it.

I was completely team Catherine throughout the entire book. I LIVED for her chapters! Simon was just insufferable throughout the ENTIRE book; probably one of the most insufferable characters I've ever read. He frustrated me sooooooo much! As for the book overall, all I have to say is THIS is what I want when I read a "domestic thriller". It had enough drama (so much!) and twists and turns to keep you hooked by displaying them through the lens of a dysfunctional relationship. Amazing! Out of the three John Marrs books I've read I have to say that this one was my favorite.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual content, Vomit, Dementia, and Abortion