Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Poor Deer by Claire Oshetsky

24 reviews

temymm's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Death, Child death, and Abandonment

figsofpeach's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Child abuse

alexisgarcia's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

this book was like something i’ve never read before. this was atmospheric, dark, twisty, and in general, depressing. the cover made me buy this and the synopsis hooked me. i was very drawn to this book and it was as good as i imagined.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Dysphoria, Grief, Mental illness, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

belovedb33's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Child death, Body horror, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Self harm, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Blood, Abandonment, Child abuse, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Grief, Death, and Animal death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Fatphobia

mmccombs's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Chouette is a book I think about quite regularly and I have a feeling Poor Deer will be the same! Dark, so sad, but also ultimately hopeful, Poor Deer imagines alternate memories and pasts and futures. It was interesting reading this right after Interesting Facts About Space, another new release where a young woman navigates childhood shame and false memories. The writing was so beautiful and often seeping with a kind of gross, dank undertone that lent to a dark fairytale feeling, I could so fully see and smell and feel this book. The ending didn’t fully land for me, but everything was so strong otherwise, it is a story with staying power.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Abandonment, and Mental illness

zenzi2read's review

dark emotional mysterious slow-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Self harm

girlsiread's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

wow wow wow wow….. no words 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Ableism, and Grief

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

paperknotbooks's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Self harm, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

m1923's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Minor: Rape

katewillread's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

 In this novel that feels like a dark fairytale there is a thick fog that blurs the line between reality and Margaret’s imagination/memories after the death of her friend when she is 4 years old. Her relationship with her mother deteriorates after the death and she is left to grapple with grief and guilt with little to no guidance. Growing up this way begins to not only shape the way she is perceived from the outside world but how she sees herself as well, manifesting in the creation of Poor Deer, the grotesque creature that haunts Margaret’s inner thoughts. Ultimately the way Oshetsky uses magical realism so seamlessly in their story telling is my absolute favorite and this cements them as an auto buy author for me. In both Chouette and Poor Deer the internal struggle with mental health, being “othered” and the external judgements that follows is so well done and captivating.  I’m going to be thinking about this one for a while. Highly, highly recommend. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault