Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

I fell in love with hope by Lancali

72 reviews

tyghe_bright's review

emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

From the outset, I knew I'd love this book, even if the story was imperfect. The *writing*. The prose in this little book is STUNNING. It's made me catch my breath several times.  The writing is impressionistic, which I *love*, but may not be for folks who prefer narrative plot-driven novels.1

The prose remains strong throughout, though not quite as strong when she's focused on plot. And the plot often suffers from "that's not how it works" with unrealistic portrayals of life in a hospital. Something the author knows about, because she's struggled with autoimmune disease. I also really felt the author's youth. It feels a little immature at times. 
 

There's a "twist" about the narrator which is handled a little clumsily. It's hinted at heavily, and then explained explicitly, where it would have been better left more open. 

Some reviews say it needed to be more accurate and realistic... but I disagree. If I were her editor, I would have encouraged her to go MORE abstract and fantastical. Her work shines most when she focuses on emotion and sensation.

Overall, it's a beautiful, if slightly imperfect, book with lovely, tender, tragic relationships. I still recommend it and will look for more by Lancali. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, Grief, Medical content, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Eating disorder, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Ableism, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Body shaming, Self harm, and Religious bigotry

theboxoffice's review

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

Oh my GOSH!! Did I LOVE this book, it was so heartbreaking and emotional and I can't help but think how much worse it could have been if Neo and C or two or more of them had Cystic Fibrosis. The ending though?? Wow 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and Suicide

Moderate: Self harm, Eating disorder, and Death of parent

robin_hood's review

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

2.0

I feel like it was trying too hard to be poetic and whimsical, but in the end it just fell flat. The metaphors are overused and repeated in every chapter, the dialogue is unrealistic, and the writing itself is hard to follow, choppy, and grammatically challenged. 

It was an easy read, yes, but I really only finished it because I was reading it for someone else. If I’d picked it up on my own, I would’ve probably DNFed it.

The ending was? Sad? The other characters’ stories and

deaths

were well done and emotional, but the whole thing with Sam and Hikari was lost on me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Self harm

Minor: Rape

soyabeanos's review

dark emotional 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

This is my absolute FAVOURITE book hands down. There is no contest, I've reread this book at least 5 times and it would've been more had I not lent both of my copies out LOL. I cannot express how much I adore this book with a passion

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

kmarr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

Heartbreaking story about love and growth and death

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Grief, Medical content, Eating disorder, Bullying, Terminal illness, Suicide, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Child death

shaleen64's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad 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? No

4.0

I struggled to engage with the first half of the book as I found Sam the narrator’s character confusing. However, the second half of the book is inspiring and heartbreaking in equal measure and the ending does not leave any room for confusion. This book makes you reflect on what you have to be grateful for. 

For those will a chronic or terminal illness it validates how hard it can be and for those without it gives you a glimpse of what our lives are like.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Death, Eating disorder, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Blood and Homophobia

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Vomit

gabobinson's review

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

addssubract's review

emotional funny hopeful sad 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? Yes

5.0

i cried 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, and Grief

vi_holmes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

3.75

Make sure you have tissues and read the warnings, but this is a pretty good debut! Neo has my soul and I loved Sonny so much! Also Eric is such a mood. 
I will say that the ending felt long winded and some of the dialog was idealic/unnatural especially in the last quarter of the book. But the way the author doesn't shy away from the harsh subjects she tackles in the book really makes up for!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Eating disorder, Grief, Self harm, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Hate crime, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

lucyford's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The story was unlike any book I’ve ever read, and the characters were also really unique, especially the protagonist. What I loved most about this book was the ending, and all the wisdom the author shared about life and death, it was really comforting to hear. The only reason I didn’t rate it higher is because the writing isn’t really my style, and I found it really unnatural at times, especially in the dialogue, and also the jump between timelines got in the way of the story a bit at times (in my opinion). However, I still highly recommend reading this book for the perspectives and emotional rollercoaster that it is.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Gore, Suicide, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Grief, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Blood, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Car accident, Abandonment, Drug use, Homophobia, Vomit, and Violence