Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Sorrow and Bliss

I love that for once, mental illness was not romanticised or glamorised. This book cast a very real and raw depiction of life with someone who has a mental illness. It was a tough read especially watching Martha’s outburst and how she was self destructive in some instances. But it sent a very important message about how people with mental illness are not condemned to a life of being alone and unloved. I think ultimately what helped Martha

in addition to her finally accurate diagnosis was the harsh reality presented by her family members. And her ability to take her ego down a notch and make amends.

For that I really respect her as a character and feel inspired.

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mraybennett's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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alishamegan's review against another edition

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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? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a perfectly fine read but it was a disappointment for me because I was expecting something else. I thought the protagonist would be a bit more of a mess tbh, I thought her marriage would be dissected a bit more. I thought her psyche would be dissected a bit more. But this is not a dissection of someone's life, it's just a rolling observation with the passing analysis and digging a bit deeper here and there. And that is perfectly okay and great if you're inthe mood for that. I wanted something a bit more psychological, a bit more of a chatacter study of someone who is maybe even more flawed than the protagonist and I wanted the story and character to be a bit more radical. But then maybe I am biased because I just reread Gone Girl 10 years later and that is one of my fave books of all time (if not maybe number 1) and I can't help comparing how this does not give the same feeling of WOW.

Also, I just got the ick about the husband being supposedly jokingly passive aggressive in public about the wife (not) taking his last name, and her initially being like no and then saying yes after like 2 seconds (which we were told she does with several people because she can be easily influenced to change her mind and does not like things like that being decided for her or happening to her in public e.g. a proposal). If he is such an amazing husband and man throughout the book, this seemed like a weird thing he would just do or express he wanted in the way that he did or at all in fact (because, like, you don't own someone just because you married them?)

Oh and also, ngl this book is kinda amazing in a wow this protagonist is super lucky way, which tbf the book acknowledges in the end, because her short comings and her relying so much on her husband and other people and not having any career, no job sometimes, no assets or her own money, and relying on family or some rich old gay father figure's house in paris that she lived in for free and she met through work, would have put her in prime position to be taken advantage of and fallen on hard times, and have a male partner totally not like the one she has in the book. Even the ex isn't completely as bad as your usual arsehole ex in pop culture, literature, media, or from any ex story you here in real life. If it was supposed to be kinda a fever dream, that's totally cool and it's nice tbh, like I wouldn't have a read a book full of trauma (in that way) anyways. So what am I saying? Hmm it's sorta not that kind of realistic, but then that's not a negative you just gotta go with it even though you're like hmm this is totally convenient and lucky for the protagonist and maybbeee wouldn't actually happen in real life probably. But that's the magic of fiction right?

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paperback_whiplash's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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thestarlessmaisie's review against another edition

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5.0

For me personally, this book was a journey from self-loathing and feeling lost to acceptance and accountability. A difficult read, but one that I’m so glad I completed, and not just for the catharsis.

Martha is a dry, witty narrator. Her story is cyclical in how you enter the story with a sense of doom and come away, having learned about all her experiences throughout adulthood and her battle with mental health, with both a sigh of relief and a breath of fresh air.

The chapters are short, Mason’s writing to the point but elegant. My favourite parts were seeing Martha’s relationships with her family, how different each one was. Martha: I have been loved every day of my adult life. I wouldn’t have gotten through the story without that love.

Definitely check trigger warnings and take the read at your own pace <3

Content Warnings

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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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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