Reviews

The Octopus Man by Jasper Gibson

moozyxox's review

dark funny mysterious 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

espeonesque's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad slow-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

5.0

Hearing voices is a hard thing to empathise with if you've never experienced it before. I love how this book portrays the voice hearing experience - the good, the bad and the ugly. The prose is very beautiful in places and it's also deeply sad but kind of hopeful and all round an important book in my opinion 

isjanne's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

kian_afs's review

emotional funny reflective 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

4.0

Way better media to be consumed. Ishbel was right.

lebeccar's review

challenging emotional

5.0

gabie_east's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad slow-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

4.0

tansy's review

sad

3.0

A tough read about a man with schizophrenia that grapples with difficult questions about how we treat the mentally ill, both socially and medically.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

yesther's review

3.0

hhhuuh.

Weirdly compelling, though I don't think it had much in the way of story or plot. Kinda like watching a car accident and just being grateful it's not you.

Partially about how scary it much be to have delusions. Partly about how heartbreaking it is to have this condition in someone you love. And a cute little bit about how the mental health system isn't really up to the challenge. I feel a lot of sympathy for Tom and at the same time I never want to meet anyone like him (i realise that's un-pc, but it's my goodreads review that no-one will read, i will be prejudiced if i want to.)

also lol to the one review that said this book was about "early onset" schizophrenia.

natalier3's review

5.0

This was a really difficult read for several reasons. It caught my eye initially because I have experience of schizophrenia in my family history and I hoped it would give me a better understanding of what is to me, a frightening illness.
After laughing out loud after just a few pages, I knew it was going to be special. Tom was a wonderful character, who I laughed at and with, and my heart ached for him throughout.
The dealing with schizophrenia was heartbreaking for me but it opened my eyes to how sufferers cope with it on a daily basis, and also epitomised the feelings of a sufferer's family, watching someone they love manage their life with the condition.
This was so moving and poignant and will stay with me long after reading the final page.
Stunning.

carolynal's review

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5