Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Something to Live For by Richard Roper

1 review

thevioletfoxbookshop's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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? Yes

2.5

 
Don't let the cartoon cover fool you, How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper is a pretty heavy read. To be clear, How Not to Die Alone is the original title in the U.S. However, the title was changed to Something to Live For back in 2020, which was also the original title of the book in the U.K. 

Reading this book reminded me a lot of an undergrad course I took as a psychology major called "Death and Dying." Typically, death and dying are subjects we shy away from and don't find particularly comfortable to contemplate. It can be argued though, that doing just that - confronting death and dying - can be a healthy, comforting, and healing thing to do. There's a lot more I could say here about this, but it's the general gist that I think Richard Roper is on in this book. Dark and heavy subject matter doesn't necessarily make it bad or unhealthy.

Some of the other big themes in this book include honesty (both with yourself and others), moving on after the loss of a loved one, coping with anxiety, and asking for and accepting help when you need it. All big topics to tackle in and of themselves! And while this book is very sad in a lot of ways, it's also hopeful. The ending leaves the reader with warm feelings and looking towards a better future, if not the fairy tale happy ending we often see in romance novels. Yes, there is a romantic plotline. And yes, it has funny moments. I laughed out loud a few times. But it's also contemplative, heart wrenching, and quite frustrating sometimes.

I think picking up this book when you're in the right frame of mind or mood and knowing what to expect is important if you're going to really enjoy it. Based on the blurb and the cover, I was expecting a cute romcom with some living life to the fullest vibes. What I got was completely different. And at first I was disappointed and considered not even writing a review. But in retrospect, I think this was just the wrong book at the time for me. Or I wasn't in the right headspace for this book this week. Had I been in the right headspace or had the timing been better, I might have rave reviews. So this is definitely a read with awareness kind of book.

This wasn't one of my personal favorites, but it may be yours. If you loved The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, or Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, I think you'll really enjoy How Not to Die Alone (aka Something to Live For).

Content warnings: death, attempted suicide, hoarding, alcoholism, panic attacks, loss of a loved one, pornography,  cancer, stalking, and brief harm to an animal. 
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