Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - The Wicker King

Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

79 reviews

polychromatic_hedgehog_parable's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I almost didn't finish this book, but I'm glad that I did, because the last section was really worth it to me :')

I really like how the book was formatted! :O Most chapter-type objects were about a page, each had a title, and they more often than not did not fall directly after the previous one. Like many vignettes.

https://kancrum.com/content-warnings/ K Ancrum seems like the bomb diggity

I think that the end was nice/cathartic for me due to:
- the drop in action
- antagonistic relationships with therapists
- showing weakness
- getting what you "need" but not what you need
idk. more to think about there.

I REALLY LOVED THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END. THE BOOK WAS WORTH IT JUST FOR THAT. ;~; <3

gotta find more polyam content

I've been engaging with a lot of kink content recently, and I really dislike how lots of it frames consent. Does no one else hold long conversations about these things before (or while??) instituting a dynamic? The "you haven't said 'no'" scene was helpful, but the book is also clearly aware that everyone depicted is a teen/people in general frequently do not make the best decisions for themselves and other due to many factors/codependency is rough. Absence of a "no" is not consent, and it seems like the book should know that lol.

(being too detail oriented: did teens text in 2003? I don't remember, but I'm feeling like most may not have?)

Content Warnings

librarianryan's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-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

4.0

For some reason, I always thought this book was a fantasy. It made me think of the old movie the Wicker Man (both versions). But that could not be farther away from the plot of this story.

This book is a look at two teen boys, August and Jack, as they descend into madness. You know this from the very beginning because as of page five you know one of them is in an asylum. The story takes you through how August got there.

At times this story is hard to follow. Each chapter is less than five pages and each has a heading that sometimes makes perfect sense, and other times could lead to debates on it’s meaning. Most of the story is told from August’s point of view, but we see snatches from other friends who want to be helpful, but don’t know how. The adults are useless, either because they are absent, dealing with their own mental difficulties, or not paying attention. August tries to be there, be the grownup for his best friend Jack. But as Jack gets stranger and stranger, he pulls August under with him. Literally in certain parts.

The cast of friends see things happening, and try to help, but how can you help when things seem hopeless? This book is also confusing, but I think it is intended to be that way, so the reader gets to feel a bit as the boys do; lost and afloat looking for solid ground. This book is both moving and terrifying in the best way. It is well written, and thought provoking. I will need time to recover from this read. It’s just … wow!

There is a novella that tells the story from Jack’s side, available as an ebook. If you get to the end of this, that might be worth reading. That would be the fantasy book I was thinking this was. The idea intrigues me, but right now, I can’t do that. I need a rest. Like the boys, I need to sleep and be left alone with my thoughts.

I can see why this book was getting so much praise when it came out four years ago. It deserves every bit of it. And it should be on library shelves for years to come, as there are things teens will see about themselves in the pages, and it may prompt them to get the help they need.

This book was fantastic. It was hard, but it was worth reading, and a topic not readily found in many YA books.

TW: Non-graphic sex, mental instability

Content Warnings

podanotherjessi's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This book is such a fascinating exploration of co-dependency. The progress is somehow so slow and yet incredibly sudden. You know why August does what he does, all the while wishing he'd do anything else. I'd like to have had some perspective from Jack, but all and all a wonderful read.

Characters: 9
Plot: 8
Setting: 8
General appeal: 9
Writing style: 10
Originality: 10
Ending: 7

Content Warnings

sabrinamc's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

reapingallthebenefits_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book deals a lot with a codependent relationship and two boys decent into insanity. It’s a mix of an adventure but also a psych thriller, in a way. The book also has mixed media elements such as photographs and police reports, and as the story gets darker, the pages literally get darker. Going grey white, to grey, to black. It’s a beautiful read that deals with mental health, parental neglect, and unhealthy relationships and coping mechanisms. Keep all of this in mind if you decide to read this, but personally I thought it was a beautiful book.

Content Warnings