Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Memorial by Bryan Washington

71 reviews

gm_vak's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent

mxfahrenheit's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Moderate: Body shaming and Vomit

eniatea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

sarahholliday's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I think this book is beautiful (particularly the last section), and a very compelling story at its heart. 

That being said, it's also a case of "just not for me." I am big fan of inner monologue & introspective characters, and that's not what this story is focused on. This is a story of the space that's left when we don't say what we're thinking or express what we're feeling. It's a story of action & doing, not pondering. 

I was prepared for this to be a solid 3-star read (in terms of my own personal taste), and then I read the final section and sort of fell in love with the book as a whole. So if you do read it, and think it isn't for you, I highly recommend sticking it out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism and Racial slurs

bookreadreceipts's review against another edition

I really struggled to get into this. Each main character felt disjointed and jumbled, their motivations weren't clear and I couldn't understand where Mike's mother fit in. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer and Death

lexa's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

It took a little while to get into the groove of this book. It flashes back and forth between memories and present day. But once I hit about halfway, it had captivated me with its everyday beauty and pain. One of those stories where nothing happens but also so much happens. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death and Homophobia

Minor: Vomit and Medical content

wai's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is so tender and beautiful and there are not enough words to explain or describe it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual content

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Vomit, and Police brutality

bookiecharm's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, and Grief

Minor: Body shaming and Cancer

gracew's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

It's hard for me to really rate this book because while I didn't hate it, I didn't like it. I don't know if it is that I don't necessarily understand or enjoy stories about forgiving shitty family members or if it is because I don't understand what I'm supposed to get out of this, but it just didn't work for me. Well, this is not entirely true, the 1/3 of the book worked for me and after that I just didn't. I liked the writing style and I liked most of the plot it is just that overall the story doesn't hit for me. I feels like the author had two semi related stories and some extra bits and snitched them all together with various levels of success.  Not a winner from my POV.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

lonelytourist's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Grief

Moderate: Fatphobia and Homophobia