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celery's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
carolineinthecardigan's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Minor: Car accident and Abortion
beckyremillard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
rissaread's review against another edition
- 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
i do think the ending was a tiny bit rushed but i didn’t mind it, movies do the same thing. overall it was great, reminded me a lot of ready or not, which is one of my favorite movies.
Graphic: Pregnancy and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Suicide, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Addiction, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
shedobechaotic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Drug abuse and Car accident
savreads28's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"The Family Game" is a fast-paced thriller that follows a woman named Harry. Harry's life could be going better. She is struggled to write her second novel following the success of her first, but at least she has Edward. Edward is a seemingly perfect man, and he has just proposed to Harry. However, Harry has never met Edward's family. With the holidays just around the corner, now seems like the perfect time for Harry to meet all of the Holbecks, until Harry learns of their ruthless games and cutthroat attitudes towards one another.
This was a fast-paced, thrilling mystery with the added layer of a game. The Holbecks have some very eccentric holiday traditions, and honestly if I were Harry, I would have stormed out of the house far more quickly. As I have recently read "The Inheritance Games", this book reminded me quite a bit of that plot. The Holbecks do not come right out and say anything. They have a tendency to play games and leave riddles for people to try to guess what is really going on. "The Family Game" was also much more deadly.
The Holbecks have some dark secrets they are trying to keep buried, and those mysteries left me on my toes throughout the book. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another layer of the story was introduced, and I was thrown for a loop. Ultimately, I did not see the ending coming, and I enjoyed where the story ended up.
This book takes place during the holiday season, and because of that, it is very atmospheric. The depictions of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and snow made me excited for the season to come, and I highly recommend this thriller during the months of November and December.
Harry is an author in this book, but I did not think this fact did a lot for her character. I think the reader is supposed to see that Harry is an author and because of this she knows how to investigate. However, for me, her character felt very amateur in her sleuthing and the fact that she was an author was just a small part of the story.
I had a pretty good time reading this, and I will keep an eye out for more from Catherine Steadman in the future!
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content
danajoy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
When Harriet, a British Thriller Author, newly engaged gets thrown into meeting her future in-laws it is quite overwhelming. The Holbeck's have an American dynasty and she's an orphan.
A tape from the pariarch Robert Holbeck, the first time she met him changes everything.
It feels cinematic. The audiobook performance (by the author!) and sound design are fantastic. I loved that the tapes had the sound and texture of an anologue recording.
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Gun violence, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
rochelleisreading's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
chelle22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Drug abuse, Abortion, and Alcohol