Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

Light Years from Home by Mike Chen

10 reviews

jhbandcats's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad fast-paced

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

5.0

An ostensible sci-fi novel that’s really a close look at a family fractured after trauma, this book is a joy to read. The father disappeared the same time as the adult son Jakob, but then showed up alone, insane, and babbling about aliens several days later. Several months later the father dies in his fruitless search for Jakob and the remains of the family fall apart. 

When we meet the family, fifteen years after these events, the sisters are estranged and the mom has Alzheimer’s. One sister studies aliens and the other, scornful, is a therapist who also takes care of Mom. 

There’s strong character development showing the years of anger and resentment that has built up, and which explodes when Jakob suddenly appears. Is he a wastrel back from a drug-fueled trip around the world or a soldier who’s been fighting to save the universe from aliens? We see the frustration and anguish of the sisters as they come to deal with past ideas of one another juxtaposed with the current reality. 

The trauma can never be fixed, but at least talking about it is a step towards a life of understanding and compassion. Ultimately hopeful, this funny and painful story is a delight. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Dementia, and Mental illness

traa's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Death of parent

Moderate: Drug use, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Drug abuse, Death, Grief, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting

Minor: Body horror, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Car accident, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

iguanasarespicy's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia

Moderate: Addiction and War

Minor: Infidelity

pnwreader's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Dementia

Moderate: Death of parent and War

ladydamonayde's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-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

Moderate: Dementia and Death of parent

northernzephyr's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia

Moderate: Grief

netthauser's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Dementia

Minor: Addiction and Drug use

jazhandz's review

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Dementia

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: War and Infidelity

astronut's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia

Moderate: Death, Addiction, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: War, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Infidelity, and Drug use

stayshomeandreads's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

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

5.0

This one started out slow for me, but by the halfway point I couldn't put it down. It's now on my top reads list of 2021. Light Years From Home might seem like a straightforward sci-fi adventure about a man who returns to Earth after being abducted by aliens, but at its core it is a family drama. It blends sibling rivalry and relationships, epic space opera, and crime thriller effortlessly in a way that is still lighthearted and fun. Mike Chen is a real gift! Evie has my entire heart but I loved how Kass, Jakob, and Evie were all flawed but still lovable. I would recommend this one for everyone, but especially for people who might feel intimidated by a more traditional science fiction novel. Can't wait to read the rest of this author's backlist.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia