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racheljiyoungshin's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Grief, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
megh_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism and Miscarriage
kajasversion'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Phenomenal. Truly made me ache with the pain the protagonist was feeling. Every single person in this book is flawed, such an honest and hearbreaking portrayal. I loved every second of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicide
lilibet13's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
hannah109's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
loved the bitter-sweet ending, it made me want to know more about Martha and Patrick, and not to know more at the same time, thinking that it was just enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Miscarriage
strad78's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.5
This was my second try reading this book. The beginning is slow, but picks up a bit and then slows down again, I got bored at about 70% but was too close to the end to give up. Most of time I didn't like the MC even if I did feel for her. The representation of the how her illness affected the people closest to her helped bump my rating. I would recommend it to right person.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Miscarriage
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
4.75
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 🤍
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 🤍
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism
Minor: Abortion
laura7l's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Mental illness
Minor: Alcoholism
crazytourists_books's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I can't believe I ended up liking this book.
I did struggle at first, with the narration style, I found it kind of juvenile and obnoxious, and that feeling lasted for quite a while; for about one-third of the book. Every few pages I was contemplating about stopping reading. And then it kind of fell into place and the narration made sense, and I started to be submerged in the story. Up until the diagnosis paragraph where the actual diagnosis is withheld and dashes are put in ita name. I don't get it. It's the kind of thing that perpetuates the shame and stigma, not naming what we fear. The specifics weren't needed; if the structure of the story was a bit different, I think the author could get away with all this mess. And then comes the end, which I quite liked, and the characters are still in pain but have grown, and it's not overly happy, which is a good thing. It is rather real.
So, an experience with its ups and downs, but on the positive side in the end.
I did struggle at first, with the narration style, I found it kind of juvenile and obnoxious, and that feeling lasted for quite a while; for about one-third of the book. Every few pages I was contemplating about stopping reading. And then it kind of fell into place and the narration made sense, and I started to be submerged in the story. Up until the diagnosis paragraph where the actual diagnosis is withheld and dashes are put in ita name. I don't get it. It's the kind of thing that perpetuates the shame and stigma, not naming what we fear. The specifics weren't needed; if the structure of the story was a bit different, I think the author could get away with all this mess. And then comes the end, which I quite liked, and the characters are still in pain but have grown, and it's not overly happy, which is a good thing. It is rather real.
So, an experience with its ups and downs, but on the positive side in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Addiction, Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
mikayladlewis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
This book was beautiful, spellbounding and honest. Honest in a way that cracked me open. It did take me about a third of the book to get into the writing style and the character, since there is a lot of jumping around. However, I think the author did an outstanding job portraying mental illness from a first person perspective. There were some moments that I felt the echoes of Bell Jar, just in the writing style and how raw the emotions come across. I would like to give a warning where if your headspace isn't great then maybe put off reading? Nonetheless it was an amazing novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Miscarriage, and Emotional abuse