Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

13 reviews

librarymouse's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.25

I love the short chapters and the way K. Ancrum blends fantasy into realism, especially with the devotion between Jack and August. They are codependent and delusional to varying degrees.

having Jack's delusions caused by an easily and completely curable tumor is an ending I wasn't expecting. Jack and August are the type of couple you can root for only in fiction. They are codependent in a bad way, craving causing harm to each other and devoted enough to allow it happen to themselves. One thing I hate is when adopted sibling characters kiss and/or close friends who are in love play off the queerness of situations by claiming a sibling relationship. The latter happens once in this book. However: I loved this book enough that this is a 5 star read despite that moment. I adore the secondary characters very much, especially the group of Alex, Gordy, Peter and Roger - Alex especially for her muffins and awkward love in tough times. Reena is also very cool, though I take issue with a 19ish year old meeting and starting a sexual relationship with a seventeen year old.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

thecavewoman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

The strongest part of this book for me was the visual storytelling for the physical copy. The concept of the pages becoming darker and darker, almost burnt told a story all of its own that I was really impressed with because I'd never seen that before. 

The concept and theme of the book really intrigued me as the author told a story about codependency, mental illness, unhealthy relationships and devotion all of which was fascinating. I think the biggest letdown was the pacing. You ripped through the book when you probably should have been slowing down and the story seemed to drag when things should have been speeding up. Another sort-of let down was the writing style. It was a little choppy which made it difficult to get through the beginning of the book, but not bad enough that I would stop reading. I just think that there were moments where I wish the author lingered a bit more, but fell a little short.

I thought the characters were good although, and this may sound a bit ridiculous, I wish we had genuinely gotten more between the two main characters. Their relationship was obviously key to the entire story and I felt like I was emotionally with them, but sometimes I struggled to understand or really feel the devotion August had for Jack. A few points in the book I had to suspend my disbelief to enjoy it, because I didn't really feel that strong connection between the two.

Overall, a pretty quick read but enjoyable none-the-less. I don't think I'd ever reread it but I enjoyed it the first time around so I think its worth it to read once.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content

basementofbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Medical content, and Self harm

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Toxic friendship

ashlikes's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Violence

Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, and Stalking

packedjam's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

hooooooo boy oh boy. this book perfectly straddles the line between books i loved as a kid and stories that compel me as an adult

strongly, strongly recommend reading a physical copy of this one

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Violence

Minor: Stalking, Homophobia, Ableism, Alcohol, and Cursing

sjonesb75's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Addiction, Confinement, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

midnightcomets's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book wrecked me in so many ways, but it is such an important read that I want to cling to this story and breathe it until it is written in my bones. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Cancer

li_reading's review against another edition

5.0

I’ll give a full review at some point but just know I’m running into the woods to recover as we speak

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, Violence, and Gaslighting

mari_library's review

dark emotional mysterious fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Medical trauma

Minor: Medical content, Stalking, and Sexual content

notpresent22's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is complex and not for the faint of heart. But in the end it’s a fascinating love story between two young boys as they struggle with a world that is letting them down. It’s the kind of story that makes you desperate to learn what happened after the final page but will likely never get an answer to. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, and Addiction

Pyromania