Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

8 reviews

sas_lk's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

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

4.25

This was definitely my favourite of the entire series. Anna and Quan felt so real to me, and their problems felt like they were my own, even though I can't really relate much to either.

In this novel, Hoang discusses something that I very rarely see discussed in books and that is being diagnosed and coming to terms with it. Most books I read, the characters usually already have the diagnosis and most people around them know about it already. But in this novel, Anna has no idea in the beginning, and you follow her coming to terms with it and having to "come out" to her family and friends. Big trigger warning for the discreditation of one's own experience and diagnosis.

Hoang also touches on sexual insecurities and coming to terms with your own body and loving it as it is after sickness, as Quan is. 

Helen Hoang is a very good writer and she's been a big part of my understanding of the autism spectrum - specifically autism with low support needs. Although I know that everyone on the autism spectrum is different, Hoang truly makes you feel like you are in their heads, and feeling their emotions.

These topics were so important and I highly recommend this series if you're looking for a romance with heavier topics.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, Ableism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Cancer and Body shaming

viireads's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Death of parent, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Blood

amissabellator's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Grief, Ableism, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Medical content

The text follows Anna Sun - a woman who is diagnosed with autism with low-support needs - (and, to a lesser extent, Quan Diep - a man who has recently overcome personal illness (

testicular cancer

)) as they fall in love. This includes graphic depictions of sex and sex acts, in line with the previous installments in the series. However, this story also includes a family medical emergency storyline (

father is rendered immobile and requires full-care after a stroke

) and goes into detail about burnout, toxic families, and mental health struggles. It also talks about expectations, both physically (

Quan suffers anxiety about his genitals following his cancer surgeries

) and emotionally (

Anna is repeatedly misled/gaslighted about her life and her autism symptoms

).

0701mango's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

This was a really touching book about family, love, and life. Both Anna and Quan are unique and lovable in their own ways. They are so different and Helen Hoang makes their chemistry work. I also appreciate Hoang writing main characters on the autism spectrum.

Though it saddened me, I appreciate that Hoang left Anna and Priscilla's relationship at the end unresolved. Sometimes this kind of thing never resolves, or if it does, it happens over a decade or more. A bit sad, but realistic all the same, and something to appreciate.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Cursing, Mental illness, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Sexual content

Moderate: Medical content, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Infertility, Death, and Grief

The female lead has autism spectrum disorder and her characteristics relating to that are described in detail. The main character also goes to therapy. A significant time in the book is spent on discussions of medical illness and chronic/terminal illness. I believe "toxic relationship" is an appropriate tag for describing the relationship between Anna and her sister Priscilla.

bookcasey's review against another edition

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Sexual content

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Infidelity, Grief, Classism, Body shaming, and Cancer

Minor: Sexual harassment

isotope_s's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

This was the best of the trilogy and I know Hoang said it took ten longest to write this because of Covid and it’s the most autobiographical of all the books, but it’s worth the wait. And we understand. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Domestic abuse, and Chronic illness

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Cancer, and Body shaming

zombiezami's review against another edition

emotional inspiring tense medium-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

5.0

This was my favorite in the series! It was so raw and emotional. I loved the characters, and I can tell the author's skill is growing. Beautiful

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Excrement, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Vomit, and Alcohol

self-loathing, romantic rejection

jerusha's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Infertility, Death of parent, and Body shaming