Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Talking at Night by Claire Daverley

55 reviews

lydiacowley's review

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dark emotional sad medium-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


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greta_b8's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow…heartfelt, raw and deeply moving. I felt so much; this is one of those books where every now and then I simply stared at the wall to process what I just read. Daverley’s writing is poetic, tender and atmospheric. One of the best books I’ve read this year.
TRIGGER WARNING:
death of a close relative, cancer, suicide attempt, depression, alcoholism

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scewart's review

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read. Talking at Night feels like the more emotional, complex, and poetic sibling to Love Rosie and Normal People. The story is such a spectacular journey through grief, self discovery, and ultimately love.

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m_liz's review

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

5.0


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nim23's review

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emotional reflective sad 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

4.5


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hanahf's review

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


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brynpemery's review against another edition

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

5.0


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rhii_reading's review

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dark emotional reflective 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

4.75

Initially this seemed like a fairly standard romance but as the novel progresses this evolves into a really poignant story that spans across the years. The attention to detail when it comes to the characters and even settings really work to feel like you’ve travelled with Rosie and Will throughout their entire lives across a couple hundred pages.

Whilst I found the novel engaging even towards the end, it did start to feel a little repetitive with the constant miscommunication between Will and Roise. However, this is where the world building comes in handy as my investment in these characters meant that I didn’t mimd as much.

A story that beautifully weaves between the lives of its two main characters and finds ways to constantly draw them back towards each other.

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lydj's review

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reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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emotional reflective 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

 This month has been heavy with literary fiction. No surprise since it’s Woman in Translation month and Booker season. But I felt in need of a palate cleanser and Talking at Night fit the bill perfectly. Will has a reputation as a bad boy. Rosie is most decidedly a good girl. Yet when they are teens a sweet almost-romance begins to blossom between them until a terrible tragedy intervenes and drives them apart. And yet they cannot fully ever let the other go and reconnect occasionally over the years, despite trying to and appearing to move on with the their lives. I have a soft spot for a good “the one that got away/ what might have been” storyline. This one has some solid mental health representation (OCD and depression) plus an LGBTQIA+ storyline. I liked both Will and Rosie as characters, although I was frustrated by the way Rosie seemed to use Will. I applauded their eventual growth and evolution. There is a trigger warning for cancer, but overall this was just the light, undemanding, enjoyable read that I needed. 

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