Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Trust by Hernán Díaz

6 reviews

dolores153's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Revelations about 2/3 of the way through the book completely changed meaning of earlier chapters. Started over again at the beginning, and enjoyed recognizing the interplay of the various parts. Unexpectedly delightful analogy with musical progressions. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Racism, Death, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death of parent, Xenophobia, Cancer, and Classism

juksu's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Classism, Death, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, and Cancer

Minor: War

cnoonan4's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-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

4.25

While I found the first section of the book to be a bit slow, I’m really happy I pushed through to the end. Diaz does an exceptional job with this style of writing, and pulls off a book that leaves you thinking deeply about the stories you hear and tell and the ones you don’t. I would definitely recommend at least getting to page 100 before you make a decision about carrying on to the end!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Medical trauma

Minor: Cancer

travisppe's review against another edition

funny mysterious reflective sad medium-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? Yes

4.25

Took me a while to figure out how the structure worked but once I did I was hooked. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Terminal illness, Cancer, Chronic illness, Classism, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, Death, and Dementia

Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.75

Review:

I spent the first half to two-thirds of Trust by Hernan Diaz feeling vaguely confused. I could understand what was happening, but I struggled to find the why. I kept asking myself, is this going anywhere? Is there a point to what I am reading right now? The answer, thankfully, is “yes,” and my advice to anyone feeling a bit confused or doubtful while reading this book is to continue reading.

 

I ended up appreciating the narrative creativity, strong writing, and interesting thematic explorations in Trust, and I am certain that I would get more out of the novel if I were able to read it again. That said, since I spent significant portions of the book feeling rather disinterested or confused, I cannot give it a super high rating.

 

Additional Note: The cover of Trust is possibly the best book cover I have ever seen. The image of a Manhattan skyscraper in the glass dome of a stock ticker, with a green background reminiscent of American dollar bills? Magnificent. 

 

 

The Run-Down: 

You will probably like Trust if:

·      You appreciate creative narrative structures.

·      You are interested in themes of money, power, and relationships.

 

You might not like Trust if:

·      You get bored or impatient easily.

·      You are expecting a dramatic, epic story detailing the glitz, glamour, boom, and bust of the Jazz Age: Trust is decidedly not this, and instead is an incredibly intimate story with only a handful of characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Cancer, Medical trauma, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Classism and Toxic relationship

Minor: Self harm

danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.75

This book takes some sticking with, but it’s worth it. The story is constructed like an onion. At first you’re unsure exactly what you’re reading until it slowly leads you down a path to a truly devastating end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Medical trauma