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kerriboland's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
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? No
4.5
I am so grateful that I have had neither challenges with infertility, nor child death or severe disability before I read this.
What a gut punch of a novel. What a beautiful, important, horrible gut punch. Realistic, honest, just, beautiful, horribly sad and incredibly powerful. Beautifully written, amazingly translated.
What a gut punch of a novel. What a beautiful, important, horrible gut punch. Realistic, honest, just, beautiful, horribly sad and incredibly powerful. Beautifully written, amazingly translated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Child death, Chronic illness, Grief, Terminal illness, Mental illness, Infertility, and Child abuse
rgs's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Medical content, and Chronic illness
dizzzybrook's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Still Born had been on my shelf for quite a long time prior to picking it up last night and staying up much too late to finish it in one sitting. I really loved how this book was paced, switching back and forth between Laura and Adina's stories, both not only demonstrating two very complex sides of motherhood but also the ways in which motherhood inherently affects everyone around us. For a book of this size, I was impressed by how well Nettel was able to give these characters depth without spending tons and tons of pages convincing the reader to care. The chapters are short and relatively straight to the point but no nuance or empathy is lost. The only thing preventing this from being a full 5 stars for me is that the last quarter of the book felt a tad bit choppy and rushed. To an extent, there are a couple of points throughout where the commentary on motherhood felt slightly preachy, but I wouldn't say that it ever made me want to stop reading. Definitely one of my favorite reads of 2024 for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Infertility, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual content
amycrehore's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book gutted me. I texted my friend halfway through that I was equal parts shock, anger, sadness, queasiness. This is not an easy book to read, especially if you are a mother or hope to be one. But the reflections on motherhood and womanhood were profound and the prose was beautiful. Excellent translation, quick read. I devoured it in just a couple days.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Terminal illness, Child death, Pregnancy, Abortion, Chronic illness, and Medical trauma
amyford's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Grief, Addiction, Child death, Medical content, and Chronic illness
Minor: Emotional abuse and Sexual content
sakisreads's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was recommended to me on BookTok and I thoroughly appreciated what Guadalupe Nettel wanted to explain.
The difficulties of friendships, the pains of motherhood, etc. felt present and real. I also felt myself getting attached to Doris and Niçolas, the protagonist’s neighbours, as well as her friend Alina. They were all so hurt and so human! 🥲
BookTok had said this was going to be life-changing. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t feel that way. However, I still felt touched by it and would like to read similar works maybe one day 😊
3.5 out of 5 stars for me, thank you ✨
The difficulties of friendships, the pains of motherhood, etc. felt present and real. I also felt myself getting attached to Doris and Niçolas, the protagonist’s neighbours, as well as her friend Alina. They were all so hurt and so human! 🥲
BookTok had said this was going to be life-changing. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t feel that way. However, I still felt touched by it and would like to read similar works maybe one day 😊
3.5 out of 5 stars for me, thank you ✨
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Body horror, and Chronic illness
barbelizabeth's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
A beautifully written piece. The prose is elegant and intense, the surroundings and culture are painted wonderfully. I found myself on this emotional rollercoaster and unable (unwilling!) to get off. I found pieces of myself in both Alina and Laura, though the two of them are very different characters.
My only note would be that I felt the metaphor of the nest was a little on the nose for my taste. It just wasn't subtle enough, but otherwise masterfully done.
I will come back to reread this.
My only note would be that I felt the metaphor of the nest was a little on the nose for my taste. It just wasn't subtle enough, but otherwise masterfully done.
I will come back to reread this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Physical abuse, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
reverie_and_books's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Proceed with care, this book deals with pregnancy, motherhood, and huge fears regarding both.
The novel is devastating and hopeful. It asks seemingly unquestionable questions. To someone not exactly knowing what they’re talking about here (I don’t have children), the author seems to keep the sugarcoating away but also shines a light on the good things. It seems balanced out, relatable, while being also very far away from me. In some way it is tragic. In some other way it is life affirming.
“I have to admit, I have never really got along well with children.” This is a thought of the main character, Laura, on page one. She goes further and seems to investigate the cause, the why, the reason, why women still want to become mothers, and suspects society and their families as the only driving forces.
But there is a twist, a tragically beautiful one. Her best friend (suddenly) wants to have a child, gets pregnant, but there are complications and huge worries.
Accompanied by a pigeon nest on her balcony rafters, her neighbors son Nicolás, who keeps smashing his head against the wall, and his mother Doris, traumatized and overwhelmed, Lauras perceived world grows in size:
“The more we love a person, the more fragile and insecure we feel because of them.”
Life is complex, frightening, beautiful. I want to end this review by quoting a sentence from the blurb:
“In prose that is as gripping as it is insightful, Still Born explores maternal ambivalence with a surgeon’s touch, carefully dissecting the contradictions that make up the lived experiences of women.” While I expected something different, I know that this book will take permanent residency in the back of my mind.
The novel is devastating and hopeful. It asks seemingly unquestionable questions. To someone not exactly knowing what they’re talking about here (I don’t have children), the author seems to keep the sugarcoating away but also shines a light on the good things. It seems balanced out, relatable, while being also very far away from me. In some way it is tragic. In some other way it is life affirming.
“I have to admit, I have never really got along well with children.” This is a thought of the main character, Laura, on page one. She goes further and seems to investigate the cause, the why, the reason, why women still want to become mothers, and suspects society and their families as the only driving forces.
But there is a twist, a tragically beautiful one. Her best friend (suddenly) wants to have a child, gets pregnant, but there are complications and huge worries.
Accompanied by a pigeon nest on her balcony rafters, her neighbors son Nicolás, who keeps smashing his head against the wall, and his mother Doris, traumatized and overwhelmed, Lauras perceived world grows in size:
“The more we love a person, the more fragile and insecure we feel because of them.”
Life is complex, frightening, beautiful. I want to end this review by quoting a sentence from the blurb:
“In prose that is as gripping as it is insightful, Still Born explores maternal ambivalence with a surgeon’s touch, carefully dissecting the contradictions that make up the lived experiences of women.” While I expected something different, I know that this book will take permanent residency in the back of my mind.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Chronic illness
ali1vory's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Medical content and Child death
veelaughtland's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Grief, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, and Pregnancy