Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

101 reviews

rachelbug's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Gun violence, Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, and Police brutality

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Vomit

jashanac's review against another edition

slow-paced

3.0

This was well-written and I generally enjoyed it, however unrequited first love (from teen years) is not exactly the romance trope for me. I simply can't get invested in it because all my brain thinks is, "Just... move on already???" It just doesn't compute in my brain, so I don't find it deeply profound or tragic or moving like I think I'm supposed to - haha

Also it was wildly frustrating that the main characters basically had a decades long miscommunication happening and I found it hard to believe that

neither one of them ever even CASUALLY made a comment to their mutual friend, about their understanding of what happened between them all those years ago... no "well she chose to leave me", "well he decided to call off the engagement..." -- nothing?? I mean I guess maybe they weren't THAT close to this mutual friend or it just wasn't culturally something they would have said even casually... but it just seemed a bit far fetched to me that they never got wind of this misunderstanding and then it was really frustrating when they were in person again finally and we had to have one scene of INFURIATING miscommunication, where she thought he was just losing his mind and was brushing him off as he was trying to explain... ugh!

 

I think I would have found this more emotional and profound if these were two adults who met later in life after having other serious relationships who fell in love and then had a tragic end and then unrequited love for each other... I'd find it more believable and genuine. I think it's probably easy to think super fondly of your first love simply for the fact that it was your first love and our emotions run so much wilder when we are young. But to pine after that person for decades, literally always thinking about them? Swearing off relationships years and years later because you're still so irrevocably heartbroken? It just isn't something I can get invested in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Abortion, Gun violence, Miscarriage, and War

megelizabeth's review against another edition

2.0

This book pains me a little to review, because it has so many elements that I loved, but ultimately its flaws are too significant to merit a higher rating. The writing is brilliant, the sense of place and time is incredible, and there are so many great discussions about cultural differences, the reality of immigrant life, and the roles and expectations of women in Iran and the US. It presents a much more nuanced look at 1950s life than the stereotyped version you often see, and I just adored the sprawling, layered narrative and everything it has to say about love, loss, politics, and familial and societal expectations.

However, there are two things about this book that I just cannot forgive. The first is that it celebrates a character who grooms a child, and the second is that its representation of a mentally ill character feels lazy and one-dimensional and made me very uncomfortable. I'm not saying that mentally ill people can never be bad people, but to present the only mentally ill character as such and to leave very little space for any slight expectation of why they act the way they do is just irresponsible in my opinion. This book could've been incredible if these two elements had been dealt with differently, but instead I was just left feeling thoroughly frustrated and disappointed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Murder, Death, Miscarriage, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual harassment

city_girl_writer's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-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? No

5.0

This book made me wanna try Persian food

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, and Child death

kiandrareadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Abortion, Grief, Abandonment, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Child death, and Emotional abuse

wellreadjill_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Death, War, Child death, Classism, and Mental illness

chiaseedreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Child death, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

bookish_kori's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Child death, Death, and War

Minor: Suicide attempt and Death of parent

hollymich's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

The Stationery Shop has absolutely become a favourite of mine! I was swept up by the romance and felt deeply for these characters. This melancholic love story had me in tears many times. 

I appreciated learning about the political landscape of Iran in the 1950s and beyond. Marjan Kamali did a fantastic job depicting how central the political unrest was in the personal lives of the characters. Overall, a lovely exploration of Persian culture, womanhood, immigration, mental health, love and loss. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Violence, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Abortion, Sexism, and War

allyordyna's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

4.25

Wow. My mind is reeling and my heart is burning. What a ride. 16+ Read TW

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Grief, Police brutality, Death, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Self harm, Emotional abuse, War, Sexual content, Miscarriage, and Cancer