Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

14 reviews

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

mcclintock1808's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

2.75

The concept of The Immortalists initially drew me to the book in the first place, and while I still enjoy the concept of it, I don't think it was executed the best. The story is in four sections following four siblings, and some fell flat. Simon's was a good story; it follows and deals with both inner and outer problems. It did get a bit too descriptive with his love life for my taste, but nothing against the book. Klara's perspective was the best in my opinion. Her struggles, dreams, hopes, and desires all meshed into one was perfectly told. Daniel's was the worst. He was stoic, and I didn't understand his character arc at all, it seemed so random and just used as a plot device. Although Varya's was better, it wasn't great. It did incorporate important themes, but it did so randomly and more things just seemed thrown in as plot devices. The only other thing that struck me as odd, was how every child came to either resent, disagree or look badly upon their religion. I understand a change in beliefs, but it just seemed odd that religion was displayed so negatively in the entire book. Overall, the book covers important themes and is very interesting to reflect back upon life and death, and how people should be living. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Alcoholism, and Death

bebidocrimes's review

emotional reflective sad fast-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

3.5

It's heartbreaking to read a story that really begs the question: what if? What if they never went to the fortune teller? I think their dates were different before they walked through her door, but that information influenced them all, and especially Simon, in how they would lead their lives. I think Simon's choices were a hefty domino effect for the rest of the siblings. How would you live your life if you knew when you would die? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Death, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Medical content, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

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

gentleprocrastination's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Suicide, Grief, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Eating disorder, and Child death

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Medical content, Pregnancy, Cancer, Abortion, Gun violence, and Police brutality

ireadinbed's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

I thought halfway through I wouldn't know what to rate this book. 

I had a lot of mixed feelings about things. I didn't sign up for the kind of tragedy I got. And I was angry to be reading it.

I'm glad I continued on. The book thoroughly redeemed itself. 

I don't get every element of this book. It feels very aimed at Jewish folks culturally. But I  felt connected. To every one of the siblings on some level. It's very personal to read and yet very specific to the characters. 

It is a book I would consider rereading and that's high praise from me nowadays. First five star in a long while. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Chronic illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Homophobia, Antisemitism, Terminal illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Vomit, Pregnancy, and Death of parent

desiderium_incarnate's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

3.5

Simon, Klara, Daniel und Varya - 
das Leben der vier Geschwister wird in diesem Buch nacheinander dargestellt. Alles beginnt mit dem Tag, an dem sie ihren Todestag erfahren. Eine einschneidende Erfahrung für die Kinder damals, die sie ihr ganzes Leben begleitet. Es werden glaubhaft dynamische Familienbande gezeigt, der Einfluss von Religion und Spiritualität auf das Leben wird behandelt und Sexualität und mentale Gesundheit wird angesprochen. Dir zentrale Diskussion jedoch, die ebenfalls gen Ende sehr elegant direkt in den Text eingewoben wird, ist, Leben vs. Überleben. Wie verhält man sich im Angesicht seines eigenen Ablebens? Geht man lieber auf Nummer sicher und versucht die Zukunft doch noch etwas zu beeinflussen oder nimmt man die Zeit, die man hat und macht das beste draus? Lieber im Jetzt leben oder im Potential der Zukunft? 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Body horror, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Excrement, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Terminal illness, Violence, and Vomit

ashleykarime's review

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

I thought it had an interesting concept but the sex scenes put me off for months. When I finally continued reading, I was kind of bored. I thought the first two characters were more interesting than the last two. Klara was my favorite.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, Racism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Grief, and Suicide

kaitlync9754's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Eating disorder, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, and Terminal illness

gemma7's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

Really enjoyable book, especially if you like books that have a darker edge. Interesting to see how 'knowing' when the characters are going to die impacts their lives

and if the psychic was right or whether they enable her to be right.

The ending was a bit naff though, unless I am just one of those people who didn't understand it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Suicide

Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content

Minor: Abortion, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy