Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Blue Ticket by Sophie Mackintosh

21 reviews

fiainkvinna's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

mabs_grace's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

2.0

Mackintosh makes it really easy to hate all the characters for most of the book. I both read the physical book and listened to the audiobook of this story; I have to admit that I probably would have DNF’d this one if I didn’t have to audiobook. 

I really hated Calla pretty well until she gave birth. The fact that she constantly acknowledged that she knew that drinking and smoking is dangerous while pregnant, but stamped down her guilt by saying that her blue ticket destined her to be a bad mother so there was nothing she could do. Really made me angry, but I think that was Mackintosh’s goal.

. 

This book was much more sexual than I though it was going to be. I thought Calla would have been more of a heroine like Katniss is the Hunger Game, but that was absolutely not the case. 

The society created in this novel was interesting in how it reflects modern day society. Highlighting and building off of the most sexist forms of oppression that exist. Though I appreciated how sexuality was so not an issue.

the sexuality of all of the characters was never explicitly stated nor was there any sexual confusion/enlightenment; the characters just seemed to “fuck” whom every they wanted to, man or woman.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Gore

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Death, Child death, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Murder

taryngoehrig's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Pregnancy

callmeamelia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma and Pregnancy

Minor: Rape, Sexual harassment, Violence, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Sexism

jbry44's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Abortion, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual violence, and Rape

kendalsbookcase's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Miscarriage

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

whimsicalish's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

I am child-free and will (hopefully) always have a choice to be child-free. The main character has the opposite wish from myself. She desperately wants a child and it's heartbreaking to see her struggle.

This book is heavy and depressing. It's a dystopian world, but honestly not far off if you live in the US.

Women are stripped of the choice on morherhood. You get a lottery ticket that says either you will have to be a mother or not. While the book never fully gives a reason or world building to how or why society functions this way, I didn't see it as an issue. It focuses on our character, Calla, as she refuses to accept her blue ticket. It opens discussion on women's advocacy to their bodies. You might think we wouldn't need to discuss this but here we are in 2023.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Minor: Miscarriage and Physical abuse

readingwithgoose's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

This was a super quick read for me, almost compulsively so. I have mixed feelings about the ending, but it’s really, really beautifully written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy and Medical content

gabforshort's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Physical abuse, Rape, and Pregnancy

bookedbymadeline's review

dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as The Water Cure. Unique and interesting plot but lacked a good execution. There was minimal world building and background, leaving me with too many unanswered questions-how did the lottery start? Why did they decide to hold the lottery? Who decided? How are the cities set up? Details about the trip to the cities? I think it would’ve been a better story if there was more background.

The characters were okay but there was a lack of depth and development. It was a quick read but could be boring at times especially in the middle. The ending had a good twist but left me unsatisfied.

Overall Blue Ticket has an interesting concept and makes you think but I wish it had more world building and didn’t leave me confused.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Abortion, Death, and Gore

Minor: Animal death