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dancemom1's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Cursing
caseythereader's review against another edition
5.0
- I knew Delaney primarily as a comedian on Twitter, and that joyful, weird spirit of his is present in this writing, even on such a horrific topic.
- And Delaney does not hold back on the unending horrors of what he and his family went through. This is one the hardest books I’ve ever read, and I don’t even have children.
- Through it all, even as Delaney unleashes this primal scream, he still shows us the love and joy he found in his son. This book is full of pain, yes, but we also learn about all the little everyday things about a child that only their parent knows, and I will carry a small piece of Henry with me now.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Pregnancy, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Vomit
carriepond's review against another edition
5.0
As one might expect, Delaney's memoir about his son Henry dying from brain cancer before his third birthday is gut-wrenching, heartbreaking and, at times, nearly unbearable to read. It is devastatingly sad. For those unfamiliar with Delaney's work as a comedian, what might be unexpected is how truly funny it is. And it really is. The book is sad, joyous, full of righteous anger, and absurdly funny, sometimes nearly simultaneously. While reading this book, I laughed out loud, I smiled in recognition at Delaney's reflections on the joys of parenting and his deep love for his family, and I cried, almost crawling out of my skin with sadness.
This book is heartbreaking, yes, but it is also a life-affirming and honest portrayal of grief born out of devastating loss. A Heart That Works is a marvel and a gift. Thank you, Rob Delaney, for sharing sweet Henry with us.
Graphic: Terminal illness, Child death, Medical content, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Mental illness and Cursing
Minor: Car accident, Vomit, and Alcoholism
mssmith3088's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness, Grief, Child death, Cursing, Chronic illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death
Moderate: Suicide
madisonfrank's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Cancer, Addiction, Chronic illness, Classism, Child death, Cursing, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Vomit, Death, Grief, and Medical trauma
christynhoover's review against another edition
5.0
The honesty blows me away.
The imagery in the FINAL PARAGRAPH was especially striking to me.
Graphic: Child death, Medical content, Cursing, Cancer, Grief, Terminal illness, and Vomit
Moderate: Addiction and Suicide
Minor: Sexual content