Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

8 reviews

_rowantree_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Death

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Classism, Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Confinement, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, Misogyny, and Self harm

sammorri's review against another edition

reflective sad tense 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? Yes

honestly I was confused when the book ended. I feel like it was so symbolic and flowery that it kinda just fizzled into abstract nothingness to me. I loved the different character voices and I really felt for every character in the family, but by the end I felt like I was just waiting for something that never came. I can understand if the point of that is maybe to show harsh realities, but the book felt like it was trying to walk an impossible line between something magical/supernatural and reality and I never quite felt satisfied with the balance. HOWEVER, I also get that this book just might not be for me. the cultural and supernatural elements may have just gone over my head but landed for others. at the end of the day, it was beautifully written and compelling nonetheless.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Self harm

bluedilly's review against another edition

hopeful slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Animal death, Death, and Drug use

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Violence, Sexual content, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcohol, Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Biphobia

breakery's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Self harm, and Drug use

drrock's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Self harm and Rape

andrewhatesham's review against another edition

fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Medical content, Gore, and Sexual content

Moderate: Excrement, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Car accident, Drug use, Cursing, Blood, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

Minor: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

kaiulanilee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

This book was absolutely stunning in so many ways. 
Particularly the way it wove language into beautiful but sometimes very jarring sentences and the way the author was able to capture the distinct personalities and thoughts of each character with the way he wrote their chapters was brilliant. This is an absolutely brilliant story about family, resilience, Hawaiian mythology, and our connection to the world around us and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexual assault

bobbijopmh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

“The kingdom of Hawai‘i had long been broken—the breathing rain forests and singing green reefs crushed under the haole fists of beach resorts and skyscrapers—and that was when the land had begun calling.”

This novel artfully blends harsh realities and magic, on a story encompassing all members of a single family and spanning decades of their lives. 

As someone who doesn't read a lot of magical realism, I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this. It's worth noting, though, that a lot of the ‘magic’ in this novel comes from Hawaiian traditional beliefs and lore.

The storyline had me gripped. With plenty of compelling twists and turns, which makes it hard to say much about the plot other than it's about finding a place where you truly belong, the relationships between family members, and the burdens that come with enormous expectations. 

Kawai Strong Washburn switches voice for the different perspectives presented perfectly; creating a deeper understanding and connection with each character through their voice and mannerism. Malia with her lyrical, poetic and emotional descriptions; Dean with his strong pidgin-Hawaiian accent; Kaui with her insecure “okay?” and “right”. It is very skillfully written. The descriptions of places, and feelings, are atmospheric and almost a sensory experience themselves. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it was unlike anything I've personally read before, and I can't wait to see what Kawai Strong Washburnwrites next!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Drug use, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Animal death