Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

The Coworker by Freida McFadden

32 reviews

dkamada's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

Chilling! Fast paced and lots of twists

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Ableism, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Bullying, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Terminal illness

Minor: Chronic illness

amberboo61997's review

adventurous dark funny mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

If you like turtles, the book is already 30% geared towards you. 
I neither loved nor hated The Coworker by Freida McFadden. The book is fast-paced, mysterious, and keeps you on your toes as each twist throws you for a loop. However, like some McFadden books I've read in the past, she definitely knows how to write a despicable and unlikable main character. Especially a main character like Natalie, who really embodies the "dumb blonde" trope in a sense as she bumbles through her own lies and bad personality traits once the heat starts being put on her. However, I can't even fault Natalie for the majority of the book since other characters featured in the book have their own flaws and nastiness within them. 
The Coworker overall is a tale about the effects of bullying in both schools and the workplace and how it can have a detrimental effect on anyone involved. Does it get this point across? Yes. But the readers might be in for a shock when the aftermath doesn't give them a sense of "justice" nor does anyone deal with the consequences of their actions. Instead, it feels rather lukewarm. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness, Ableism, Infidelity, and Body shaming

Minor: Blood

I'm also going to say this. Everyone in this book needs serious help and their priorities are so low it's in Hell. Like how are you smart and you've been plotting a revenge plot against a person for nearly a decade and yet there are so many flaws and holes in your plot that it's honestly embarrassing? Dawn's obsession with Mia turned their relationship into one that was akin to sisterhood, to one that felt more alike to a "scorned lover" plot. Which would've probably been a better plot than trying to convince us that these two were just high school best buddies. And then lets add on the turtle talk like that's going to make her character any better. Also, how are you going to be going on and on and on about how Mia deserves justice and Natalie deserves to rot and yet the ending is you two having a mutual agreement. What happened to all that gusto? I guess murdering only one of the bullies was enough for Dawn. Which we never come back to by the way. Let's just mention it and shrug it off. Also, Natalie is just...there's not much else I can say on her in terms of bad personality and bad decisions. Much to our displeasure, she'll probably keep winning in life due to her luck and good looks, but it would've been nice to see her actually lose. I feel like Natalie just got slapped on the wrist and because of that, it made the ending very unsatisfactory for me.

bechlette47's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Frieda McFadden is an amazing mystery/thriller writer. I enjoyed the plot twists! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting

saraellenme's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Murder, and Suicide

Moderate: Ableism, Blood, and Death

vinjii's review

mysterious 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

1.75

Eh. Suspension of disbelief is tough with this one, and I guessed the reveals far too early (although, not the why.) That's the second McFadden book I didn't enjoy, maybe it's time to call it quits. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying and Ableism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

alyssams884's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Stalking, Ableism, Suicide, Blood, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

rcarr14's review against another edition

dark slow-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: Bullying, Ableism, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Suicide

Minor: Gaslighting and Injury/Injury detail

kyrstin_p1989's review

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

3.5

While not my favorite of her books, this one still packed a punch. All of McFadden’s novels read so easily, I fly right through them. Many of the chapters end in tiny cliffhangers and they’re short,  so it’s easy to keep plowing through the story. This thriller/mystery did not surprise me as much as some of the ones I’ve read in the past. It did have a twist, but it wasn’t an unexpected one to me so I think that dropped this book in my eyes as far as the rating goes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Grief, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Ableism, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, and Violence

elizcait's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Ableism

Moderate: Murder and Suicide

lmayfieldx's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Mental illness, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death and Ableism