Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

16 reviews

ceedy's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, and Grief

Minor: Deadnaming

sterlingreads's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Rape, Child abuse, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

thesaltiestlibrarian's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Cursing, Deadnaming, and Suicide

sunbathingturtle's review

challenging emotional funny inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

I finished this book moments ago and am thankful for its existence. 

Within the confines of a hayloft, Miriam Toews creates a deep ecosystem of life, social webs, shared history, thought, and—most importantly—characters that feel so very real.

I’m in awe of the format and storytelling of this book. Masterful craft.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Domestic abuse, Incest, Grief, Child abuse, Alcohol, Confinement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

saara_ilona_muu's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Incest

gmjohnson's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

Astonishing read, I felt like I really connected with the characters and sympathised with them all. Toews has compassionately written a complex cast of characters in which each of them have their own unique views on the situation they’re in. I laughed and cried throughout the whole book, but ultimately felt hope for the women as their story grew. Definitely my all time favourite book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Sexism, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Death, Murder, and Death of parent

cait's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Dementia, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism

sydapel's review

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

 For me, this is an issue of form rather than subject matter. Perhaps because I was reading this knowing it would become a movie, but I struggled heavily with how limited this feels textually, particularly as it's through a male perspective. Which I know is part of the point, and I would have fun arguing about that in an English classroom. 

If you're looking for an really profound philosophical debate about faith, forgiveness, guilt, anger and difficult choices that women living in deeply patriarchal societies face, this excels. It's hard to digest, especially knowing it's based on reality, so please do check trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Miscarriage

Minor: Excrement and Blood

vaguelyacademic's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Gaslighting, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Terminal illness, Vomit, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

kimveach's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This is a weird little book.  It really is about women talking during a two-day meeting.  I found it strangely compelling, though.  I can't decide if I want to see the movie or not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Violence, Child abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Rape, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Grief, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Self harm