Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

I fell in love with hope by Lancali

78 reviews

astalavista's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Rape, Medical content, Eating disorder, Death, Violence, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Child abuse, and Terminal illness

hannah_mariee's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Self harm, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Child abuse, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Eating disorder, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Blood, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content

oceanebooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.75

Okay, I don't think I can write a lot without spoiling anything so I'll try to keep this review pretty short.
First of all: The cover alone is a piece of art. It's different from the self-published edition but I think they both look really good.
Then, secondly: The language. It was very poetic, and that to an extend that even for me it felt like a bit too much. There were just a few passages where even I thought this metaphor was a bit unneccessary. Keep in mind though, things like that are entirely subjective (just like the whole review itself, lol) and this is Lancali's distinctive narrative style. And once you get used to it you really like it. At least I did.
At the same time I still see the criticism. Scamming through a few other reviews I either found people bawling their eyes out and throwing 5 stars after this book - or they didn't give it more than a 2.5 which, in my opinion is valid, it's people's opinion and it's normal to disagree. Most of them were complaining about how the author romanticizes illnesses (both physical and mental) in her story.
I don't think she does. Yes, one can get that impression because of her language style (see what I wrote before), but with no means does she intend to make something as cruel as pain and disease look that way. 
Especially knowing why she wrote this novel, I see it in a different way. For context: Lancali had a friend, named Sam (like the narrator, so much can I say), who she got to know in hospital when she was ill herself. They wanted to write a book together, but Sam died when she had just finished the first few chapters. So, there's the personal aspect to it that in my opinion doesn't allow anyone to give this book a rating lower than 4. But of course, my point of view.

Now finally - the plot. There isn't much that can't be said without telling too much so I'm only going to say this: Heartbreaking. Gut-wrenching. Makes you furious at the (main) characters. Makes you confused at their actions. You will feel a lot, you will maybe cry a lot (depending on your personality) and also - you just want to jump into the story and cause some miracles to happen so everyone can have their happy ending. Of course they don't, I think I knew that long before I started reading. But still, you want these fictional characters to survive, to live, to be healthy. Of course they won't, that's the whole point of the book. But something inside me broke the moment my two favourite characters died (and also: why did they have to die first??? Just. Not. Fair.).
Lancali, you did a great job in shattering my heart to pieces. Thank you for your service.
This is one of the saddest yet most beautiful books I've ever read. It'll stay in my mind for a long time, just as the characters will. And also: The representation: chef's kiss.
Some very much needed male representation of an eating disorder (and its causes), and also depression and self harm. But also physical illnesses. Besides that, the queer representation went beyond gay or lesbian or bi to pan, non-binary and also fluid. THANK YOU. (keep in mind though, that's not the main focus of the book.)
I think that's it. I'll go and grieve a little more now. (I'm not crying you are!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Suicide, Terminal illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, War, Blood, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Homophobia, and Vomit

natalie75's review against another edition

The hook was amazing but after that it was super slow 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, Cancer, Chronic illness, Suicide, and Terminal illness

vagabond_bones's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, and Suicide

Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Homophobia

Minor: Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Abortion

notyourvegetable's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

2.5

 I really don't know what to think of this book. There were parts I liked and a lot of things that gave me the biggest ick. For once, this book didn't feel like it had a planned out plot at all. I was constantly guessing what timeline the chapter I was reading was playing in and what the purpose of the scene was. Some scenes just didn't have any impact on the story at all and even though they were nice to read by themselves I think they could have been deleted. I was also really disturbed by the constant romantic descriptions of mental illness. In general the writing style often seemed immature and wanna be poetic, aiming for every quote to be quotable. The scentences on their own were great. Together as a story, yet a whole novel? It didn't work. 
I did like the characters and the overall message of the book and it definitly made me feel something, but there were just so many things that I feel like needed more editing and time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicide, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Grief, and Death

tabithahickman's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

4.0

This was a beautifully written story. It's like a mixture between 'Perks of Being a Wallflower' and 'Looking for Alaska'. You have a group of lonely misfits trying to make their way in the world in what way they can. This group are thieves.
I absolutely loved the characters, my favorites being Neo and Sony. Reading this made me feel like I was there having these adventures with them. I laughed, I cried, and I loved with them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness

Moderate: Self harm and Eating disorder

Minor: Suicide

reiley_61's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Death, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Self harm, and Terminal illness

elkila's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Child death, Death, Gore, Medical content, Terminal illness, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Homophobia

Minor: Death of parent, Violence, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

h0eforb00ks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book is funny at some points and heartbreaking at others. I couldn’t stop myself from agreeing to what they were saying or sobbing alongside them. I don’t think I’ll be able to find another book with as much feeling as this

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Eating disorder, and Child abuse