Reviews tagging 'Death'

A Guest in the House by E.M. Carroll

36 reviews

broughtbybrokenminds's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

 No one draws drippy gooey body horror quite like Emily Carroll! The use of pops of color throughout the book as the fantastical seeps into Abby’s everyday life has a mesmerizing effect that draws the reader deep into the story. I loved the suburban gothic vibes that embraced depicting the horror of a mundane existence in equal part with the supernatural horror. Experiencing life through Abby’s perspective as a woman who feels uncomfortable in her own body and like a guest in her own home, fuels the creeping dread that unfolds as her obsession with the ghost of her husband’s first wife grows. This was a fascinating mystery that will leave you questioning what was real and what was imaginary, with gorgeous artwork that will stick with you long after you close the last page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Gaslighting and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide and Cancer

flamesocks's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Murder, and Toxic relationship

foxclcves's review

dark mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Gore

Moderate: Dysphoria, Sexual content, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Self harm, Violence, Alcohol, and Gaslighting

bookishvampire's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Very beautiful book with an interesting story!

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death

catspajamas15's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Emily Carroll can do no wrong. Her art is unparalleled and hauntingly beautiful. Her story may not make sense to some, but you can still get lost in the illustrations and come to your own conclusions. I will always support this author. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Emotional abuse, Murder, Self harm, Grief, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, and Death of parent

galaxsea's review

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

What if you told a modern version of Bluebeard about a deeply closeted woman in a haunted lakehouse? Or didn't? A Guest in the House is a masterpiece in its own right. Beautiful, compelling art. Masterful control of tension. Horror and fantasy and the mundane all swirled together until they can't be untangled.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide

violerwolf's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

Gorgeous art style, gorgeous writing, absolutely do not understand the ending and I don’t think I ever will. And I think I have to be okay with that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Suicide, Sexual content, Murder, Gaslighting, and Death

maryellen's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Blood, Suicide, Body horror, Gore, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death of parent

lav's review

dark mysterious reflective

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Cancer, Pregnancy, and Suicide

katizwitchy's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

 The art was beautiful and haunting, though I have to say I think I'll have to read it a few more times to really understand the plot. I want to say that the ending was disappointing, but I think I just haven't really digested it yet. Such a compelling ride up until that abrupt stop and wow! I will be thinking about her for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Body horror, Death of parent, Murder, Blood, Gore, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Suicide