Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

356 reviews

dstensland's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual violence, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Terminal illness, Child death, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Death, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Kidnapping

kinic's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Torture, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Mental illness, Death, and Drug use

Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, and Death

rachelpcook's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This is the first of Gillian Flynn’s books that I’ve read, and I’ll certainly be picking up her others. 

Sharp Objects is an unsavory story, to say the least, but I can appreciate a protagonist that I truly cannot stand behind the actions or thoughts of. Partying with 13 year olds and essentially sexualizing their bodies, particularly in the case of Camille’s 13 year old sister, Amma, is difficult to stomach, not to mention her proclivity for drunk driving, which is a particularly personal subject matter for me. 

However, I came into this book expecting a somewhat gruesome plot, and it delivered just that. 
I think it captures Adora’s torture in a way that shapes the characters significantly throughout the novel, and it illustrates how Camille and Amma separately cope with being their mother’s daughters. Their feelings towards their mother are extremely complicated, craving the security that her affection provided them, while wanting to be as far away from her as possible at the same time. 
“This should be miserable, I murmured as I grabbed a tumbler. But underneath that, a thought: time alone with her! A leftover rattle from childhood. Get that fixed.” 

I thought I saw the ending of this book coming from an early point in the book, which I was only slightly right about. Gillian Flynn successfully built my sympathy towards Amma, leaving me to believe that Camille and her younger sister would rebuild a healthier life their mother had stolen from them, but the twist truly did have me surprised. While I did not enjoy Amma’s character in many tangible ways, I began to believe that her cruelness was simply a facade. 

Despite the gritty nature of the book, I could not put it down, and I’m looking forward to reading Gillian Flynn’s other works.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Child abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Self harm, and Suicide

hypofocus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Wtf did I just read? And I mean that I the best/worst way possible. I'm gonna need at least 24 hours to recover. This book is one big trigger warning, but worth the read in the right headspace. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Mental illness, Vomit, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Blood, Murder, Self harm, Medical content, and Alcoholism

shreyapandey13's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

virtuadoll's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Blood, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, Body shaming, Self harm, Child death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Alcoholism, and Grief

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Medical content, Vomit, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Rape

katmystery'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is the most disturbing book I have ever read. Gillian Flynn is a genius with suspense; I couldn't put it down even though it made me feel sick, kinda like an addictive poison. Every trigger warning under the sun.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Blood, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Murder, Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexism, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Rape and Drug use

Minor: Eating disorder and Cancer

nellzzzz's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Child abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Murder, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Drug abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, and Violence

karenteach2626's review

dark mysterious fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Gore, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Child abuse, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, and Self harm

zerkleoflife's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Gillian Flynn is a fantastic author. Every character was extremely complex. I took off a point because so many scenes made me really uncomfortable (in the ways the author intended). A lot of things were really shocking but still made sense to the characters. I sort of guessed the end because I understood the characters, not necessarily because it was super predictable. Definitely check the trigger warnings!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Murder, Vomit, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, and Grief

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, and Rape