Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

30 reviews

sarahbsews's review against another edition

mysterious 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: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, War, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Suicide, and Murder

helenaramsay's review

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. It's not a complex or challenging read, but it is sweet and engaging, the characters are lovely, the plot is fairly simple and a little predictable (in a nice way- where you can follow the mystery as it unravels and it isn't some great resolution you could never have hoped to solve at the end) but it feels cosy and warm to read.

The pacing is good, with lots of interesting plot covering different timelines and themes in there without feeling rushed or underdeveloped. The tone is friendly and not pretentious or patronising, making it easy to read and switch between character perspectives without whiplash. The writing isn't a masterpiece, but not everything has to be, and this book feels like a really nice getaway from the try hard, complicated, tragedy driven stories of modern prize-winners hoping to become instant classics.

Overall, very enjoyable. A simple, pleasant read, a great book to curl up and read in a blanket with a cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and War

mdavis26's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, War, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Suicide

maaartha's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Mental illness and Domestic abuse

bookishpip's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

ceruleanorchid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Suicide, Stalking, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

lochnessvhs's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.0

Oh dear...perhaps this would be easiest in bullet form:

• I adored Opaline's story. It was the standout. Had the entire book been Opaline's story and thoroughly fleshed out, this may have been a 4-star read.
• Henry was the dullest, flattest, most useless character.
• Henry and Martha did not seem to have any chemistry whatsoever. It was only in the moments where one of them are thinking "oh s/he's perfect!" that anything came across, and it felt like we were being reminded they were supposed to be together. 
• The magical realism of the story was shoe-horned in and so lightly defined that it seemed to be pointless.
• There are 3 books in this book. One is possibly great (Opaline), one is okay (Martha and her husband and how she grows as a person) and one terrible (Henry and Martha and the magic bookshop).
• Plot holes make my head hurt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Stalking, and War

jessversteeg's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

Unique plot, very creative! I enjoyed the rare books aspect and the investigation of the old stories 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Child death

Minor: Suicide

major themes of domestic abuse and forced institutionalization.

trippalli's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

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

4.0

An excellent historic fiction. I appreciate it how they brought light to the women being put in seeing this albums when they spoke up or independent and brought to light the issues with arranged marriages and abusive marriages and how difficult it is to get away from it. Abusive relationship was interesting how they went back and forth between the two time periods and the what lives of those two people being interwoven

I don't think the story had a lot of surprises but it was well written and engaging story. I didn't want to put it down till it was done and I got invested in the people, characters and their goals and outcomes during the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Mental illness, Cancer, Child death, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Abandonment, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, and Forced institutionalization

thebookauntie's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

Slow start. Overall good book. The jumping back and forth between time periods was a little confusing in a few places but not to bad. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, and Death