Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

18 reviews

twirl's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

This book isn’t a murder mystery but a slow soap drama drawn out to a ridiculous length. An adequate summary of the book summarizes at the length of one word per page. 

The story is told in time blocks, one in the past, walking chronologically through events since their arrival at the lodge, and the other in the present, walking through the discovery that there has been a murder. I think if it wasn’t for the past time block, this book would feel unreadably slow. So rather than a “whodunit”, it’s a rehashing of past drama so the reader can guess which piece was worth killing over.

Part of what makes this book so difficult to read is the unlikable and unrelatable characters. Everyone is a rich bitch or a loner with a troubled past. There is very little depth to anyone. With multiple POVs, it’s a shame there isn’t one to enjoy.

Finally, the “twists” aren’t really twist. They’re heavily implied and while there are many red herrings, they didn’t dissuade me. As someone who loves mystery- true Agatha Christie level mystery, this isn’t for me. It’s more similar to the likes of Verity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual harassment

Minor: Infertility

fraise's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Infertility, Infidelity, Stalking, Alcohol, Animal death, Murder, Blood, and Drug use

Moderate: Addiction, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy

jupiter_01's review

mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

The characters really made this a slog to get through. Most of them were flawed, however none of the villainy was particularly fun. The reveals were either lacklustre or too slow. I didn't understand how the friend group had stayed in touch after ten years of miserable interactions.

The POVs rotated frequently, which I found somewhat confusing. Sometimes it was first person, third person, or the character broke the fourth wall. I don't know if this was an audiobook-only issue, but most of the time the change in character was not segmented into a new chapter, which made it hard to keep up.

I liked the last act once things finally picked up. In addition, I felt the victim's death like a gut-punch—it became quite a tragedy—so that part was well done by Foley.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic friendship, and Infidelity

Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Infertility, and Stalking

Minor: Homophobia and Sexual harassment

whimsicalish's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

I wanted to enjoy this more than I actually did. About halfway, or sooner, I worked out the killer. Especially when a character notices and TELLS me when something someone said was off. Why are you telling me the mystery part? That's for the reader.

I was enjoying the inner thoughts of the characters, even the shitty ones...for awhile. 

But it's annoying when Katie keeps telling me that Miranda is SUCH a great friend and I, the reader, need to take her word for it. Sure, Manda has 'good attributes' while Katie reminiscences about these awful, terrible things Miranda did in the past.

At that point, I don't really care what happens to Miranda. She's so shallow with no redeeming qualities. She was a good friend because she let you borrow a dress one time and forced you to be BFFs? She's an awful fictional character and don't feel bad that she died.

 

Then there's an issue with the other characters. They're in the flashbacks but do nearly nothing in the present. They are completely pushed into the background. Nonexistent.

I can't help but compare this to another mystery book I finished recently. In the remote snow with little outside help? Check. Awful, rich snobs that actually hate each other? Check. Too many characters that about 6 of them are forgotten? Check. Two employees working in this remote getaway? Check.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Bullying, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual content

Minor: Body shaming, Sexual harassment, and Mental illness

amberrenfrey's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Murder, Drug use, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Fatphobia, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Classism

brookey8888's review

dark 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

3.0

This was fine. I didn’t find anything shocking, I thought it was all pretty obvious. I know she wrote this before the guest list, but the guest list is basically a copy and pace with a slightly different who done it and why. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Body shaming, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

wow, so good. i loved the familiarity of each of the narrators, like they were ranting to me about their histories and issues. it had great pacing and writing and a riveting story, had me guessing at every turn but still provided a dramatic ending. i loved how the lodge employees were treated as entirely human and noteworthy despite being less glamorous than the guests. everyone is a grotesque character and it was fascinating to see them alternate between unraveling spectacularly and finding some kind of redemption.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Child death, Drug use, Gore, Pregnancy, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Homophobia, Infertility, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Kidnapping

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Medical content, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Xenophobia

clabbb's review against another edition

mysterious slow-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual harassment