Reviews tagging 'Eating disorder'

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

24 reviews

angelsinbroadway's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Antisemitism, Abortion, Homophobia, Grief, Eating disorder, Death, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Murder, and Gun violence

dev921's review

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Abortion, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Suicide, Self harm, Child death, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

cadeyladey's review

challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, Self harm, Terminal illness, and Suicide

baguettegay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Death

Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: War and Xenophobia

rachelh913's review

5.0

This book wrecked me. I devoured it in two sittings and sobbed through the last fifty pages or so, but loved every moment. It’s gritty and dark and makes me want to write a book report on the interplay between death, life, family, and the choices we make. Incredible. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Eating disorder, Death, and Suicide

Moderate: War and Homophobia

minkkmuse's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

 i was drawn in by this book’s compelling premise, and while i enjoyed the character-driven, polyvocal structure, the story itself falls flat for me. it is steeped in an emotionality that does not feel earned 

(and, in my opinion, cruelly uses the aids epidemic as an emotional twist)

and almost grossly misrepresents certain social issues. the most fascinating themes of the novel (possible futures, fate and circumstance, free will) are elided in favor of banal family dramas. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, and Eating disorder

includes discussion of hiv/aids epidemic

kiwialexa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Grief, Death, Eating disorder, and Mental illness

ashmarie166's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Suicide, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Chronic illness, Grief, Homophobia, and Mental illness

amandaformby's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual content, Death, Medical content, Grief, Drug use, Abortion, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Suicide, and Mental illness

cyntismiles's review

emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

4.5

I really liked this book! It was recommended by one of my coworkers, I thought I read it but I hadn't so gave it a go!

I really liked the amount of time we spent with each character and how the author chose the timeline focus for each one. After the first section, I thought we were going to go "back to the beginning" with each one and redo all the events through their eyes. We did not and I was grateful. I found the scope of each character very artfully chosen and well done. I also enjoyed the "mystery" of the book and seeing how it affected each character. 

I really liked how you could tell they were all siblings but at the same time so different. It felt very real to me. There was one specific trait all the characters had that felt very "off" to me but it was resolved in the end which I really enjoyed. I'll add it in the spoiler section if you are curious.  

All the characters consistently acted like they were the only people who had ever experienced family tragedy which was annoying. It took me until Clara's section to identify it esp. in regards to how she responded to her husband. I think it sheds a good light on moving forward with grief vs stagnating in grief. I was really happy to see this somewhat resolved in Varya's section

 

I was super sucked into this book and wanted to find out what would happen to each character. I was most interested in Varya's chapter/perspective so it was kind of a "save the best for last" situation for me. There was a lot of discussion of mental illness in this book and I thought it was done really well. 

I would recommend if you are looking for an accessible novel that asks questions about the placebo effect, human nature, and self-fulfilling prophecy. It's interesting and reflective on the human condition and what we are all inevitably moving towards, death.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Addiction, Xenophobia, Suicide, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, and Racism