Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

40 reviews

dxtgi's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

Really lovely end 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Violence and Self harm

literarydumpling's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Self harm, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Violence

nancebe's review

dark emotional funny inspiring reflective fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Mental illness

Minor: Mass/school shootings and Violence

ktnkrbl's review

challenging mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

alicelalicon's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Grief, and Self harm

Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Bullying, Drug use, Alcohol, Medical content, Racism, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Sexual content, Ableism, and Cursing

Minor: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts

condor's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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

5.0

This is a book that surprised at every turn. Incredibly well written and beautifully performed in the audio version. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, Addiction, and Drug use

willows's review

challenging dark reflective tense 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? No

3.75

 That was absolutely bonkers and had very memorable characters. Literally wack, it's been weeks and I still think about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Violence

Minor: Rape, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Racism

chaya_v's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

I had a hard time getting into this book. I had to accustom myself to the writing style and the characters. But then all of the sudden I was hooked and couldn’t put this down. Benny, his mom, the Aleph they all felt so real and raw. This book was really emotional and makes you think so much. This was really beautiful. This is a strong 5 stars read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Death, Self harm, Death of parent, and Violence

Minor: Suicide

heidi_meredith's review

challenging funny reflective medium-paced

4.0

I liked the way this challenged perceptions of mental illness, yet I also wondered if there were elements of the "Just pull your socks up" attitude, which can be unhelpful, although it worked for the storyline and character development. 

I loved the writing style and cast of characters, especially the mother-son relationship and its bittersweetness, with the changes of adolescence and their shared grief. For me, it spoke deeply about our relationships with the objects around us and the value we impute to them. I enjoyed seeing the parallel journey of mother and son in this, with the mother often imputing personality or intent to objects in a way that her son was also experiencing through his mental illness. This ties in with conversations the son has with his friends regarding the nature of mental illness and where the boundaries for 'normal' are set. 

I found this book hopeful and accepting of those on the fringes of society. It seems to seek connection and beauty in lives otherwise adversely affected by trauma, grief and illness. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Grief

Moderate: Violence and Fatphobia

Minor: Child abuse

cupidcove's review

adventurous emotional funny sad fast-paced

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

3.25

I found this book a bit too John Green-y at times with the portrayal of one manic pixie dream girl character (Aleph) and her quirky cast of friends, but I ultimately found the narrative perspective and struture of the text and how it raises questions about the way we, as a society, frame questions about mental health interesting. I enjoyed the read, but wish I would have read it in high school. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Violence, Self harm, and Drug abuse

Minor: Animal death and Homophobia