Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

20 reviews

gentle_human's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Self harm, Animal death, Child death, Grief, Suicide, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, Car accident, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Ableism

okayletsread's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

There are so many devastating themes packed into a fairly compact package. On the surface, this book seems to be about astrobiology, conservation, environmentalism, animal rights, and politics. Really, it's an exploration of a father-son relationship as they navigate the grief of Aly, Theo's wife, and Robin's mom.

The writing is at times stunningly crafted, and other times, it was a bit meandering. I have a hard time really investing in books that very directly have an agenda, but much of the prose still kept me interested. The climax at the end felt a bit rushed, too. My feelings are a bit all over the place with this one, but it sure made me think. Good books do that. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Death of parent, and Mental illness

audragio's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

1.0

This man just completely ignored everyone’s concerns for his child and everything that happens after that is COMPLETELY HIS FAULT. One of the most frustrating books I’ve ever read. Most hard headed character I’ve ever seen in Theo. Hated him. Also, did he not mention having another child in the beginning? And 11 year old? So Robin is the favorite. Got it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Ableism, and Panic attacks/disorders

kaitlouise94's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent and Child death

Minor: Mental illness

steveatwaywords's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-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

3.25

There is a lot to like about Powers's sentimental, often preachy, heavily-crafted story. Certainly some of my politics (environmentalism, freedom of speech, etc.) align well, so the book is written to me; and that's half its problem.

Don't seek nuance (or much complexity) as Powers aspires to bring nothing less than the infinite outer-verse and inner-verse into alignment and then sighs, "But humans. . . . "  In many ways Daniel Keyes did as well or better with his own mouse. But once our author has allied himself with Algernon, the whole story is un-enthusiastically foretold.

The ending death of Robyn is not only a needless martyrdom, but by the time we reach it, I felt more like we killed him off only because the story was over rather than have his father continue to face raising him for more than a few narrative months.

It is Powers's deliberate and heavy-handed work to offer a sentimental story which makes this entire venture more ideology than literature, more emotional catharsis ("Somebody gets me!") than genuine reflection. Just because it's my propaganda doesn't make it less so.

But enough of that. Along the way, Powers does show why he remains a popular writer and that has more to do with real moments of waxing lyricism (a Neruda fan, for sure). He's eminently quotable: undoubtably portions of this work are already appearing on t-shirts, bumper stickers, and framed IG reels. His highly problematic glossing of medicine, schooling, and cognitive studies, for instance, from the vantage of such pithy verse, can safely be ignored.  His takes on political dread or the micro-/macro-scales of nature and the universe, instead of providing challenges to us, are given in the briefest of chapters,  only enough time for nods of the head.

My problem with the book isn't about his simplicity, with his designing the story and structure to be easy-reader friendly, it isn't even with the potent questions which appear here and there: it's that these insights are offered as conclusions, not as opportunities for exploration. So many writers have already done so much more . . .

Want a thorough read on animal rights that will grind on readers with its complex ethics? Try Elizabeth Costello by Coetzee.  Want to talk about the Great Filter of evolution amongst the stars? Try a dozen science fiction writers from Clarke (philosophy of wonder) to Niven (hard science) to Pellegrino (realist military).  

I enjoyed the read, found myself nodding too often appropriately, especially loved the frequent visits to other planets, and will remain committed to my politics and ethics both where they align with Powers and where they do not. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Animal death, and Grief

hilary_v's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Death of parent and Suicide

perseusj4ckson's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i’m devastated. powers has done it again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Child death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Bullying, Car accident, and Death of parent

emcsquared's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Self harm

hippejulia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

Aika masentava kuvaus jostain lähitulevaisuudesta joka ei edes ole ilmastokriisikuvauksillaan niin kauana todellisuudesta. Paikoitellen minusta vähän ableistinen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Car accident, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Ableism, and Mental illness

Minor: Medical content and Infidelity

jaynovara's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Grief

Moderate: Self harm, Mental illness, Child death, and Car accident

Minor: Bullying, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Infidelity