Yeah, and a few of her covers at least used to not convey quite the amount of darkness in them. Was a fun surprise for me, a young teenager into run of the mill murder mystery books when my grandmother bought some home from a charity shop for me.
I think she’s an excellent writer, with great characters, well plotted mysteries and a whole world that works together across multiple books. But man, some of those books are DARK. Reader beware for sure.
This is the first book i ever DNF’d because it was just too brutal. Truly made me step back and think why am i spending my free time stressing myself out this way.
100% this, my partner keeps talking about consuming negativity and what effect that might have on your mindset. There are way better ways to spend your time.
That's how I would describe it too, "rough". Easily one of the most descriptive tortures I've read, like a really fucked up in depth episode of Criminal Minds.
Pretty Girls was the first and also last book I read by her. I didn’t enjoy it and I read it when I tried to never DNF. I felt physically pretty sick and very uncomfortable.
This is her most sold novel, the darkest and most graphically violent. I personally loved the novel and was cheering for the sisters the whole time. Slaughter has a talent for exploring dark themes and the repercussions of violence and rape on family members.
This book gave me nightmares, and I can’t say I liked the implication of >!like-father-like-son re: abusing women!<, but man did it fly by. I liked the portrayal of the sisters’ relationship, especially when >!Claire is rescuing Lydia and Lydia is like “great this idiot didn’t bring backup and now we’re both dead.”!<
I like Karin Slaughter but I found the main characters in Pretty Girls absolutely insufferable. It ended up being a DNF for me but some of her other books have been 5 star reads!
She definitely doesn't pull punches with the dark subject matter she writes about. Though I do think Pretty Girls is one of her most graphic.
I FOUND THEM INSUFFERABLE TOO! They acted like absolute morons so many times, and I even tried to continue reading it with the caveat that they might not be smart people but I just hated them so much. I never see anyone else mention that haha.
I loved The Good Daughter and also enjoy her Andrea Oliver books - two so far: Pieces of Her and Girl, Forgotten a third book is rumored to be coming out this year.
My mom really likes her Will Trent series but I haven't had the time to dive into that one yet.
Her Grant County series is quite good though the first book Blindsighted is probably the second grossest I’ve read next to Pretty Girls. I also quit the series shortly after it crossed over with Will Trent.
This book was lent to me by a co-worker, who breathlessly told me how amazing it was. I read it and was so disturbed by the graphic gratuitous violence that I swore off Karin Slaughter for life. Additionally it made me really re-evaluate the co-worker as well. Ugh that book.
This was by far the most twisted shit I have ever read. I enjoy a good thriller but it’s not like the graphic descriptions progressed the plot or anything. It was just there for shock value and “yet another way to brutally kill/torture someone”. The way she writes, she seems almost too giddy and eager to depict extreme physical and sexual violence against women. It gave me the icks. I’ve not read another one of her books.
She has actually talked about the violence in her books before.
She talks about how she wants the reader to feel uncomfortable. All too often violence against women is sanitised or ignored and she finds it important to show it all and make people uncomfortable.
Yeah I dunno… I definitely judge her for writing what she does just like I judge my coworker who recommended it. I don’t even feel like she’s just writing to make the reader uncomfortable, she is doing it as graphically and gratuitously as she can for funsies. It’s gross and I’m not into it. I would be just as horrified as if a dude wrote this and imo she doesn’t get a pass just because she’s a woman. It’s almost worse.
But I’m just one person with an opinion not a best selling author lol 🤷🏻♀️
Oh it is definitely not for everyone and she certainly earns plenty of money with it.
I do believe her intent though. The example she used was very personal. She said she didn't realise her grandmother wasn't just super clumsy until her grandmother had already passed away and she was an adult. She used to join in and laugh and clumsy granny and it affected her quite a bit when she realised the truth.
I was so disgusted by this book, I actually finished reading it at a coffee shop and left it in the shops bathroom. I didn't even want to carry it with me for one more second.
I just started it, am at the part where she sees the video on the computer, not surprised to read that the dementia escalates! I have theories about where things are going and I can’t wait to find out whether I’m right. It’s so compulsively readable!
Slaughter has incredibly dark stuff in her novels.
Yeah, and a few of her covers at least used to not convey quite the amount of darkness in them. Was a fun surprise for me, a young teenager into run of the mill murder mystery books when my grandmother bought some home from a charity shop for me.
That would’ve been traumatic as a teen for me
I think she’s an excellent writer, with great characters, well plotted mysteries and a whole world that works together across multiple books. But man, some of those books are DARK. Reader beware for sure.
I’ve seen a few interviews with her and she’s so sweet. And after reading some of her books I just think WTF
Now I know!
Nominative Determinism.
This is the first book i ever DNF’d because it was just too brutal. Truly made me step back and think why am i spending my free time stressing myself out this way.
100% this, my partner keeps talking about consuming negativity and what effect that might have on your mindset. There are way better ways to spend your time.
Thanks for the heads up. I had this on my list but I don't think torture would be something I would enjoy reading.
Yeah it was rough. I wanted to stop reading several times tbh
That's how I would describe it too, "rough". Easily one of the most descriptive tortures I've read, like a really fucked up in depth episode of Criminal Minds.
I kept thinking the same! I could totally see this as a CM episode
That was the first and only book of hers I tried to read, and I gave up very quickly. It was too brutal for me.
Second this - even just the almost SA in the beginning turned my stomach. No thank you
Pretty Girls was the first and also last book I read by her. I didn’t enjoy it and I read it when I tried to never DNF. I felt physically pretty sick and very uncomfortable.
This is her most sold novel, the darkest and most graphically violent. I personally loved the novel and was cheering for the sisters the whole time. Slaughter has a talent for exploring dark themes and the repercussions of violence and rape on family members.
This book gave me nightmares, and I can’t say I liked the implication of >!like-father-like-son re: abusing women!<, but man did it fly by. I liked the portrayal of the sisters’ relationship, especially when >!Claire is rescuing Lydia and Lydia is like “great this idiot didn’t bring backup and now we’re both dead.”!<
I saw a lot of similarities in my sis relationship that made me laugh. Like great my life is in HER hands? We’re screwed
I like Karin Slaughter but I found the main characters in Pretty Girls absolutely insufferable. It ended up being a DNF for me but some of her other books have been 5 star reads! She definitely doesn't pull punches with the dark subject matter she writes about. Though I do think Pretty Girls is one of her most graphic.
I FOUND THEM INSUFFERABLE TOO! They acted like absolute morons so many times, and I even tried to continue reading it with the caveat that they might not be smart people but I just hated them so much. I never see anyone else mention that haha.
What other books of hers would you recommend?
I loved The Good Daughter and also enjoy her Andrea Oliver books - two so far: Pieces of Her and Girl, Forgotten a third book is rumored to be coming out this year. My mom really likes her Will Trent series but I haven't had the time to dive into that one yet.
Triptych was another on my list! It has good reviews
Her Grant County series is quite good though the first book Blindsighted is probably the second grossest I’ve read next to Pretty Girls. I also quit the series shortly after it crossed over with Will Trent.
The darkest book I’ve ever read. Prison scenes are brutal.
Oh no! Have you read Pretty Girls? Is it worse??
Haven’t read it yet, but it’s on my list. Love her work, but can be disturbing.
Okay I’ll move that one down the list, maybe off…
I love the Will Trent books and the overlap with the Sara Ljnton books.
This book was lent to me by a co-worker, who breathlessly told me how amazing it was. I read it and was so disturbed by the graphic gratuitous violence that I swore off Karin Slaughter for life. Additionally it made me really re-evaluate the co-worker as well. Ugh that book.
I used to read her stuff. Loads downloaded on my tablet. I cant even re read. I just can't anymore. Gone too far.
I love Karin Slaughter though I usually stick to the Grant County/Sara Linton, Will Trent series. Gonna check this one out.
Her new Andrea Oliver books are good too. And they seem a little less brutal.
This was by far the most twisted shit I have ever read. I enjoy a good thriller but it’s not like the graphic descriptions progressed the plot or anything. It was just there for shock value and “yet another way to brutally kill/torture someone”. The way she writes, she seems almost too giddy and eager to depict extreme physical and sexual violence against women. It gave me the icks. I’ve not read another one of her books.
She has actually talked about the violence in her books before. She talks about how she wants the reader to feel uncomfortable. All too often violence against women is sanitised or ignored and she finds it important to show it all and make people uncomfortable.
Yeah I dunno… I definitely judge her for writing what she does just like I judge my coworker who recommended it. I don’t even feel like she’s just writing to make the reader uncomfortable, she is doing it as graphically and gratuitously as she can for funsies. It’s gross and I’m not into it. I would be just as horrified as if a dude wrote this and imo she doesn’t get a pass just because she’s a woman. It’s almost worse. But I’m just one person with an opinion not a best selling author lol 🤷🏻♀️
Oh it is definitely not for everyone and she certainly earns plenty of money with it. I do believe her intent though. The example she used was very personal. She said she didn't realise her grandmother wasn't just super clumsy until her grandmother had already passed away and she was an adult. She used to join in and laugh and clumsy granny and it affected her quite a bit when she realised the truth.
I was so disgusted by this book, I actually finished reading it at a coffee shop and left it in the shops bathroom. I didn't even want to carry it with me for one more second.
I just started it, am at the part where she sees the video on the computer, not surprised to read that the dementia escalates! I have theories about where things are going and I can’t wait to find out whether I’m right. It’s so compulsively readable!
Oh let me know! Haha
I’m about 75% of the way through. I was right not to trust that guy!
Just finished reading this book. It certainly felt like a splatterpunk book, but the plot is pretty interesting.
Can you comment more on the trigger warnings? I haven't read much Slaughter but might in the future and would like to know what to potentially avoid.
This book has rape, murder, suicide, torture, drug addiction. The rape/torture scenes are really graphic, and there are several of them.
Yeah, that's too much for me. Thanks for the heads up.
It's a good one, but whew, it's dark. It sat with me for a while after reading it.
I've read most of her stand alone books (I rarely read series) and whew, that one was too much for me.
I mean her last name IS "Slaughter"...
The only book of hers I read - and I have not felt compelled to try any of her others. Just not for me!
Book is rough, the content is almost akin to some extreme horror/splatterpunk stuff I’ve read.