Reviews tagging 'Death'

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

15 reviews

sarahreadsromance's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

This book is heartbreaking… and also beautiful and also messy and also so very real.  It makes me sad, it makes me angry, but it also makes me hopeful and nostalgic, the original Greek.

I don’t know who said this book was funny.  I would not describe it as that.  It has humorous moments for sure, but on the whole this is not an “extremely funny” book. 

I loved it and I think you should read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Cursing, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Grief, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

anniesher23's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book so much! I think my favorite part was how great of an unreliable narrator Martha is, even about her own character, relationships, and deepest desires. Learning more and more as the book goes on is so captivating and beautiful. 

Martha’s development feels earned and real. I was impressed at how, even at her worst, I felt and understood her anger. Then I felt her shame and remorse. And when she puts in the work to repair her relationships, she is held accountable, and her loved ones are too. 

As a side note, I think this is a really important book within the context of mental health/treatment and reproductive justice.

This book is so heartbreaking, but it’s also hopeful. I love how much love there is in this story 🤍

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abortion

maggienistler's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Abortion, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

aileen_macalister's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I have a love hate relationship with this book. I was captivated by the story of Martha and her relationships but there were style choices that kept taking me out of it.
Mosan writes a complex and altogether frustrating character that makes you read on just in the hope that some good will come of it.
She says this book is about more than mental health and I can see that point of view. At it's core though the story would not unfold without the mental health struggles and the mental health struggles would not happen without the story.
I was not expecting this to be as much about motherhood as it was. Without giving too much away, I found it's description of motherhood and the conflicting thoughts women in today's society, especially those who struggle with mental health, have on the subject raw and beautiful.
I wish I could have scored it a 4/5 but I could not get past the style choices which is very much a personal preference but it really distracted me from the book's core themes and message. So 3.5/5 is where I have settled.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Domestic abuse, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Abortion

Minor: Death and Death of parent

katierobertsonshaddix's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Suicide, Death, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

readersreadingnook's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Pregnancy, Grief, Mental illness, and Self harm

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

this was such an amazing portrayal of mental illness and the effect it has on the people around you. it just was a little slow and monotonous at points :/

the ending was amazing though

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Alcohol, Body shaming, Classism, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, and Grief

eeviee's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This is the kind of book you read to remind you of how much you love reading. The kind that you revisit from time to time and still feel gutted by. That one book you read at different stages of your life and find yourself identifying with another character you were least likely to feel any affinity with. It is a character study of a deeply flawed woman in an equally flawed relationship, and how she comes to mend herself in more ways than one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Self harm, Abortion, Death, Emotional abuse, and Pregnancy

ashlyntalksbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

Minor: Emotional abuse, Abortion, Miscarriage, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Self harm, and Death

bookish_daph's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring sad 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? Yes

5.0

I can’t quite put into words how much I enjoyed this book. An all time favorite. The entire time I was reading a movie played in my head and I just sat back and watched these characters. If you are looking for an accurate portrayal of mental health in a book; this is it. One of the things I also loved is how the main characters perspective on things especially her relationships with her family is shown to the reader when she’s younger and morphs with the story as you read along. There was no point that I wanted to put the book down. One second your heart strings are being pulled the next you are laughing, then you are angry. Such a range of emotions. I’m already looking to read the rest of Meg Masons’ works because this writing and story telling is the reason I love reading so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Death and Alcoholism

Minor: Death of parent