Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Shy by Max Porter

20 reviews

elicar's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

staceys_adventure's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Alcohol, Mental illness, Suicide, Body shaming, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Animal death, Blood, and Forced institutionalization

emhromp's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.0

This is not entirely my cup of tea, however: I am amazed at how Max Porter portrays Shy as both a difficult, angry person to be around, and as a person who needs love and understanding. As a person who is vulnerable. 

Just read this, and don't worry about understanding everything you read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Violence

nurlou's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Alcohol

tarajoy90's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use

katrinepoetry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

An emotionally challenging read, however Porter's writing is flawless as always. Takes a little time to get used to the formatting, but it will click eventually. 

As someone who had worked with students on the brink of being excluded from the educational system, this hit really hard. I could see aspects of my previous students so clearly in Shy.

Definitely an important and insightful piece of literature.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Bullying, Mental illness, and Sexual content

callmeamelia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Violence, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Drug use

syd_syd's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Death, Violence, and Child abuse

mt_gilley's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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? Yes

3.0

Max Porter's latest is, like Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, a story of emotional crisis told through short bursts of formally experimental prose. It is frequently affecting, and the way the different registers pile up is compelling and overwhelming, but it didn't hit me quite as hard as his past works. At times the character and event felt just a little contrived.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Bullying, and Suicidal thoughts

andthebeanstalk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective 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

4.5

Max Porter turns his remarkable writing skills to the story of Shy - a young man struggling to control the anger and impulses bubbling inside him while also desperate to find a place for himself in the world. The present scene is one night in Shy’s stay at a ‘Last Chance’ home, but from there the narration shifts and glides between moments in his past and the voices of those around him repeating in his head. While reading we, like Shy, feel the weight of those experiences, the confusion of mistakes made, the presence of the past.

Porter is a master of blending poetry into his prose, finding the beauty in contemporary, everyday speech. In Shy he plays with the sounds and rhythms of rap and 90’s Jungle music to draw us in to his protagonist’s mind - like dancing you simply have to let yourself go with the flow.

This book is much like its hero - insightful, funny, incredibly tender, and packs a powerful punch.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt