Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

22 reviews

katrinarose's review against another edition

dark reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

Extremely bleak and tough read but I could not put it down. I loved the character of the unnamed midwife and the how well the author also developed even minor characters as they appeared. I also like the alternating style of her journal and omnipresent narrative. I was taken aback at first when we learned about characters and events that the midwife did not know about but it was satisfying (although sad). I like that the author didn’t shy away from the brutal realities of this post-apocalyptic world, and didn’t sugarcoat her view of human nature, as depressing as it was. This book is definitely not for everyone (between the triggering content, narrative style, and somewhat bare plot) but I really liked it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Blood, Cursing, Death, Medical content, Pedophilia, Rape, Murder, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Homophobia, Infertility, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, and Sexual content

Moderate: Abortion, Grief, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, and Emotional abuse

kat1105's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Self harm, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Vomit

larbster90's review against another edition

challenging dark sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Incredible book, very compelling couldn't stop reading it. Definitely increased my anxiety, though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Child death, Infidelity, Body horror, Murder, Kidnapping, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Drug use, Infertility, Sexism, Trafficking, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Child abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Adult/minor relationship

katiedalton's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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

4.5

It started out a little rocky regarding pacing. But once it got going it was really good. Very dark and while there was not a lot of plot or character development I still really enjoyed the story and how it developed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

Minor: Suicide

batcaves's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Trafficking

horizonous's review

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, and Trafficking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Homophobia, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness

◦ Medical trauma = Genital mutilation

shontellereads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

 Really enjoyed this, so bleak and depressing but so so so good. Check the TWs!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Slavery, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Murder, Gore, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Torture, Suicide, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Infertility

readmeem's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Infertility, Child death, Trafficking, Sexism, Medical content, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, Pregnancy, and Medical trauma

Minor: Miscarriage, Grief, Outing, Cursing, Self harm, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, and Gun violence

accovino's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

This was A LOT to read during a pandemic. The idea that no one is coming to save you, we save each other or we kill each other, is so hard to read. The work of building society over again, of trusting when there is no reason to trust, of working for a future you'll never see even if you succeed… Yeah I'm having a lot of feelings about it right now. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, and Trafficking

Minor: Abortion, Vomit, and Suicide

shannonsacoman's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Slavery

Moderate: Trafficking, Suicide, and Pedophilia