Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

47 reviews

lukel's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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, Child death, Racism, Suicide, Self harm, and Racial slurs

notlikethebeer's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

I really don't know how to feel about this book! It is a book about racism written by a white woman, and that's major alarm bells from the start. However, I did appreciate the author's note at the end (which, having read some reviews, I actually read first) - that Picoult was aware that it was not her story to write, and that instead she wanted to write the story of someone like her, who might see themselves as anti-racist without acknowledging all the ways they betray this. That was a really interesting approach, although being white I don't feel that I can assess whether that's the 'right' one or not. I think that did lead me to wonder about the inclusion of Ruth's chapters - by writing them, Picoult was writing from a viewpoint that she explicitly said is not hers and that she will never truly understand; but equally, if she hadn't written them, I guess it would have been a way of erasing Ruth from a story in which she played a pivotal part. All this to say I don't know. I did really like the chapters from Kennedy's perspective, in large part because I could see myself and similar viewpoints through them; and I found the Turk chapters, particularly the early ones, interesting as an example of the ways that extremism can 'take hold' on an individual level. Equally, do Turk's chapters - and the humanising of Turk - belong in the same book that's about the harm caused to Ruth? And can it ever be okay for a white author to portray such vitrolic racism (and homophobia), even if it's in aid of not shying away from reality? I don't know. Something that did stand out, positively, was the "damned if I do, damned if I don't" that arose from the dual charges levelled at Ruth. Otherwise, there's little in this book that I really know how I feel about! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Homophobia

schinavare's review

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Child death

Moderate: Hate crime

Minor: Suicide

destined_333's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, and Racism

Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Hate crime, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts

Law, justice, racism, discrimination, and systemic issues

cheaploaf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This book was a ride. I really appreciated the 3 different angles it was told from. It was captivating, it was hard to put down. As a white person, it’s a book that made me think and reflect a lot. I appreciate Jodi Picoult’s author’s note and how extensive the research she did for the book was. I think it’s super important as a white author to be able to use your platform to talk about issues such as race.

I’m glad that the story didn’t revolve around white saviourism and that Kennedy didn’t even win Ruth her trial, the case was just acquitted. At first it seemed crazy to me that someone like Turk could end up on the complete opposite of the spectrum but I guess there are people out there like him in the real world.

Would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Child death, Homophobia, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Murder, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicide, Slavery, and Miscarriage

mrs_elliott19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense 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

I normally don’t write a hole sappy thing, but this boook!!!! I life is forever changed! I thing every needs to read this book at least once! I’m balling!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicide, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Bullying, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.75

This is such a well written story. I LOVED the addition of the author's note at the end, it shows how much time and research Picoult put into this book. 

I really liked the 3 different POVs in the book and how we saw such immense character growth. She didn't shy away from getting into the heads of 3 very different characters and was able to really get to the core of who they are. 

This book tackles some extremely sensitive topics and can be really difficult to read, especially from the father's POV. I think that Picoult was able to find a balance between demonstrating sensitivity while showing the reality of this story. 

My only criticism is that some parts dragged a bit and the book was a tad too long. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gaslighting, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Violence, Death of parent, Grief, and Racism

thebabybookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

I loved this book. I have a lot of respect for the authors work to research the subject matter. The audiobook was a flawless presentation. I was sobbing at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Child death, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Suicide

vanesst's review against another edition

challenging tense fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Death of parent, Hate crime, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Antisemitism, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Pregnancy, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Police brutality, and Abandonment

Minor: Blood, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Alcohol

miastegner's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Hate crime, Suicide, Racial slurs, Bullying, Grief, Antisemitism, Death, Classism, Child death, Medical trauma, Racism, Homophobia, Police brutality, and Violence