Reviews tagging 'Grief'

I fell in love with hope by Lancali

57 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. 

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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

sneha_sharma's review

dark emotional 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

3.75

It took me some time to grasp the story and build interest. The plot is slow in the beginning, speeds up a bit and maintains the same pace throughout, until the end. Also the dialogues are too poetic, and sort of hinder the flow of reading.
A major thing that should be mentioned somewhere in the beginning or on the back of the book is trigger warnings.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

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

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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

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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

oakairi's review

I really wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't for me. 

My main issue with the book is how over the top it is when it comes to the language; it's too poetic and flowery and comes off as though it's trying too hard to be quotable. For this reason, I did find the story to be emotional, but a lot of it felt forced with how it was written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Rape, and Suicide

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Medical content

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 

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Content Warnings

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

ashmak06's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Medical content, Suicide, Death, Grief, Self harm, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Vomit, Rape, and Pregnancy

lecute_reads's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Death, Eating disorder, Grief, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Bullying

Moderate: Medical content, Homophobia, and Vomit

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!

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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

xxzellazephirahxx's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Grief, Medical content, Suicide, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Vomit, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Self harm