Reviews tagging 'Murder'

A Guest in the House by E.M. Carroll

48 reviews

jill_holly's review

dark emotional 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 a creepy graphic novel with a jarring twist. I haven't read a graphic novel in a while and this one didn't disappoint. The use of black and white vs. colour and the way the colour intruded on the black and white as what was real and not real blurred was perfect. I took away themes of loneliness and isolation and the way our fears and fantasies can quite literally colour reality, for better or worse. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Suicide

doomham's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent

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

lurieta's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Death of parent, Body horror, and Murder

lindsayflor_95's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Blood and Gore

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

clichemarker's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

Beautifully illustrated, slightly confusing 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Murder

jordanwilde's review

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

An emotional, challenging story. It delves deep into the woman's feelings of insecurity, fear, and longing. The illustrations are brilliant and do a much better job of telling the story than any words could ever do. I even went back and soaked up the images because they are that good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Suicidal thoughts

moonmisandrist's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

As always Carroll's art is so beautiful and creepy. I love knights and dragons so of course I loved that the protagonist dreams of themself as a beautiful knight, slaying dragons and saving the princess (and the art in these dream sequences are breathtaking).  Unfortunately, the ending felt a bit too quick - though I can see the narrative purpose of it, I would have liked more time in the story so the ending had felt more impactful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Body horror

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent