Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

60 reviews

erinreadstoomuch's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

Incredibly heartbreaking and eye opening regarding the fact that the key to so much modern medicine is tied to a woman whose name is largely forgotten. Rebecca did an incredible job at portraying the real emotions and bringing true life to Henrietta, while also giving her family the respect and kindness they have been owed for so long. Henrietta’s name should be screamed from the roof tops. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Medical trauma and Sexual assault

alexklinect's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

4.25

A fascinating look at the intersection of scientific research and African American history, specifically focusing on the repercussions of one woman’s life and death and immortal cells. I loved the juxtaposition of the supernatural with the natural and the examination of the sanctity of life — there could have been more on these topics. The legality of tissue collection and research was discussed at length, and rightly so, but it was definitely long. The audiobook (very well done!) comes in at almost 13 hours. The tender moment between Kristoff, Deborah, and Zachariah in the lab was the highlight of the book, in my opinion. One or two brief instances of language and some violence mentioned, plus lots of medical procedures and details. 
4-4.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Cancer

Moderate: Racism and Violence

Minor: Cursing

ejthephoenix's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! I’m so happy that Henrietta and her family have finally gotten some recognition after all this time and get to tell their story. I’m also really glad that this book is being included in my class at our school. I would definitely recommend reading this book no matter what you like to read! :) Non-fiction, fiction, science, theories, biographies, realistic fiction, and even non realistic fiction lovers will love this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Drug use, Incest, Murder, Pregnancy, Slavery, Racism, Rape, Cursing, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Outing, and Blood

sztokfisz's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, and Cancer

Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Slavery, Medical content, and Sexual violence

beccaj11's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Racism, Medical content, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Suicide and Slavery

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Grief, Incest, Racism, Ableism, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Slavery, Antisemitism, Confinement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicide, Animal cruelty, and Genocide

Minor: Deadnaming and War

parasolcrafter's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

5.0

this book....i really dont know what i can say about it. i learned SO MUCH about something i had never even head of before picking it up, and it was both fascinating and heartbreaking to read about all of it. i wish all the best for hentrietta lacks family and hope that her and those of her family who have passed are resting easily <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, Violence, Classism, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Incest, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Ableism, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, Abortion, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Rape, Slavery, and Terminal illness

bearikatherika's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Violence, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Infidelity, Drug abuse, and Incest

marioncromb's review

challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

Easy to read, very informative. Empathetic and meticulously researched. Tells the story of Lacks' family alternating with the story of her cells. Maybe a little long with unneccessary detail. Quite US centric - would have been nice to know about laws surrounding tissues etc worldwide for comparison.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Medical content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Classism, Racism, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death

Minor: Child death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Violence, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Slavery, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, Incest, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

mallorypen's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

I always worry that nonfiction books will be dry and boring, but I am delighted to be wrong with this - deeply disturbing in parts, heart wrenching in others, but with no lack of joy, this story was told in a delightfully human way. Rebecca Skloot took a TON of heavy and dense information and laid it out in an easy-to-follow way.

It surprised me that there aren’t any laws in the use of human cells yet; the ramifications of the scientific uses (and financial gains) were illustrated so thoroughly here that it feels ludicrous to not have addressed it by 2009. It’s my homework now to see if anything has changed now by 2023.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Medical content, Body horror, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment