Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

9 reviews

booksandteatime's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Blood, Child death, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Death, Self harm, Grief, Suicide, and Vomit

Moderate: Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Physical abuse

clemrain's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Misogyny, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Child abuse, Classism, Gore, Violence, War, and Death of parent

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Drug abuse, Excrement, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Sexual violence

This shattering story takes place over three strenuous days of a nurse and runner in a maternity ward during the influenza pandemic. It’s a difficult, slow read that dives into the little hours of horrors experienced by the most vulnerable. I don’t really have the words for this book. I had a very vague knowledge of the influenza pandemic. But academic readings don’t do the justice to this tragic period of time. This book does and I think it’s because it’s takes a very small real part of the pandemic and focuses on it. The world is so much more than just the grand scheme of things. I don’t know much about Ireland’s history past the famine most of us are taught about. But of course just like any country, Ireland had its l share of religious trauma. I wanted to scream and yell and cry. The romance was so fleeting but it was impactful. I wish it had been woven into the plot a bit earlier but

it was seamless and quick and sad. Of course Bridie would. Sad end to her, and I don’t exactly appreciate a woman’s death being used as a way to develops another character—even if it’s a woman rather than the regular man in most stories.

Nurse Power is a dear character to me. Complicated and closed, but just doing the most she can while keeping her head on her shoulder. She’s named Power for a reason. Bridie Sweeney, what a darling character. So innocent but so weathered. Beautiful written. It’s a hard read. The old speak and Irish slang had me pause and googling a lot. And there aren’t many books that truly cover such a small space of time in a full novel. As you’d expect it can get very overwhelming and difficult to read. But it’s a rewarding and educational and definitely worth the trek.

kathleencoughlin's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

A bit close for comfort at the moment. I liked the story overall, but I'm a bit tired of

reading queer love interests die.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Misogyny, and Child abuse

Minor: War, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Excrement

francestea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Wow! Even though this book takes place over just three days it’s anything but slow paced. Like Room and The Wonder, the cast of characters is small and somewhat trapped by their circumstances. If you liked her other books then this one holds up. I’d also recommend this if you enjoyed the Call the Midwife series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, and War

Minor: Abortion, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Trafficking

kayleyhyde's review

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Medical content, Medical trauma, Blood, and Gore

Moderate: Sexism and Religious bigotry

Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, Vomit, Pedophilia, and Mental illness

eniatea's review

challenging emotional informative 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

mgraves89's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Vomit

sarah984's review

emotional informative medium-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? No

3.0

This book is about a nurse working in a makeshift maternity ward in Ireland during the Spanish flu pandemic. The medicine parts of it were interesting (though not for the faint-hearted) and I liked most of the characters, though there are a few that I wish had gotten a bit more screen time. A lot of social issues in Ireland at the time are brought up and discussed in a way that mostly feels organic. 

The last third was just too much for me though, way too soap opera-ish for me with all the romance and drama crammed into two days. After the weight of the rest of the book it felt kind of silly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Grief, Medical content, and Vomit

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexism, Suicide, and Trafficking

phoxyphoenix's review

emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, and Terminal illness

Minor: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Vomit