Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

A estranha Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

65 reviews

gigibaiao's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.0

A deeply disturbing but unfortunately realistic book. Very interesting to read, but some moments were so horrific that they made me nauseous. Beware of triggers, as this book has many. I loved reading this book, but at the same time it made me sick. I felt anxious and sad about living in a reality where such sad things happen, and it made me cry. This book made me realise that thrillers on these subjects are not for me, even though they have a high literary quality. The author really took care to illustrate the places and people of certain nationalities accurately, and that impressed me positively.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Violence, Death, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Confinement

bek67's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

This is a challenging review to write. I had a hold on this book for quite awhile so when it came in, I had completely forgotten the subject matter. But even reading the synopsis, I was not prepared for this book. I thought Sally was a neurodivergent adult. She was direct (blunt might be a better description) and did not perceive social cues or had a clue what is considered socially inappropriate. I wasn't expecting a light hearted read, but I also was not expecting the significant amount of childhood trauma described in this book. It is rough stuff, so if kidnapping and child abuse is too much you better pass on this book.

This book explores how childhood trauma impacted the central character.

Sally is born and raised in captivity with her mother. Her mother who was kidnapped and raped when she was 11. ELEVEN! I was so grossed out by this fact, but the details keep coming and then you understand why she has absolutely no memory of her childhood before age 7. Her abductor bio-dad is a racist, misogynist, abusive and cruel human being. I celebrated with glee when he burned to death in a car accident at the hands of his son. 

Sally's character is so odd but yet you still want her to become all she can be. I was cheering her on as she forged friendships. I like how this story acknowledged that Sally really did not know how to feel and process things. It looked at how fucked up her adoptive dad was too and how he realized too late that he did not do right by Sally.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book but the subject matter was much heavier and harder to read than I thought it would be. I was a bit surprised by the ending of this one. If you decide to read, go into this with your eyes wide open knowing parts will be very uncomfortable.   

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Rape, Torture, and Violence

musings_of_a_middleaged_mum's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny

Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, Confinement, Mental illness, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Ableism, Car accident, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

grimalkin7's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad 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

4.25

I may need botox after how much frowning I did! "Jesus Christ!" was also invoked quite frequently.

This book kept me engaged because of the constant plot twists and it  keept me guessing. Though odd, Sally became quite a loveable character and I thoroughly enjoyed her growth, but also her bluntness (my favourite quote being "Stop calling me a racist." "Stop being one."). It was heartwarming to see her friendships blossom and I was gutted reading how they all kind of fell apart at the end.

I was really rooting for Peter and was so disappointed when he turned out to be just like his dad, more or less. Hey, a kidnapper with morals is still a kidnapper!

The ending was a bit of a let down for me because I was optimistic it would be a happy one, but I suppose Liz didn't want it to be predictable.

With that said, this was one of the most captivating reads for me in a while. I could hardly put the book down because I just wanted to find out what happened next! Liz did a good job with those cliff hangers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, and Rape

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, Car accident, Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Racism

cheryl_gager's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.25

This book took me by surprise in more than one way. The synopsis does not hint at how dark the themes of this book are and when it is revealed at the start of part 2 (just under 100 pages in) it is shocking. I think the themes are tackled in a way that is easily digestible as there is a level of detachment from a lot of the most traumatic, disturbing moments (which were off page) didn't happen to the characters whose POVs we get. I loved Sally as a character, the growth she had and the inner turmoil she faced made her POV heartbreaking and heart warming all at once. I got frustrated with the side characters around her because they expected her to be understanding to things and others but it was not always reciprocated and she was never truly given the benefit of the doubt and treated like her choices mattered, especially if she made them on her own. The other POV was more heartbreaking. This is a story of how a negative cycle of behaviour can start (I am using negative but it is not even close to how dark somethings got) and how the cycle continues but I feel like there is hope at the end of the potential for these generational cycles to be broken.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual violence, and Torture

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, and Car accident

This has a lot darker themes then the synopsis would suggest. You do read about a child being kidnapped and held in a looked room. You also can work out what is going on in the room where the 2 different women were held (one of which you meet after they have been there for 7 years already), and it does eventually being said / confirmed later in the book. However, you do not actually see what happens to these poor girls/women in this situation and you are reading about it from someone who never witnessed the worst of it. There is one racist character but they are confronted and challenged straight away and they face consequences which are so fitting. The book ends at the start of the 2020 pandemic so there is brief mention of it existing but no real detail about what it is or the effects. Mental health and trauma is also discussed and you do read transcripts from the first victim / person kidnapped, whilst in a psychiatric ward in the lead up before she commits suicide.

karlzlee's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Torture, Racism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Rape, and Violence

hugsy85's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Confinement, Kidnapping, Rape, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Mental illness

madh2os's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Rape, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexism, Car accident, Adult/minor relationship, and Misogyny

samseyz's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-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

4.0

This is heart breaking yet heart warming story that focuses a lot on trauma and grief. I really think marketing it as a thriller was not a good move because people who are expecting something intense or fast paced would likely think this is boring. This books is more emotionally intense than thrilling, in my opinion. I do think the ending felt kind of rushed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Torture, Alcohol, and Racism

nialiversuch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Ableism, Self harm, Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Vomit, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Suicide, and Pregnancy