Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

Matrix by Lauren Groff

14 reviews

literarylion's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

Pros:

• A unique and refreshing take on historical fiction, especially medieval historical fiction
• Strong character development 
• Groff's grasp of medieval verbiage and phrasing is precise but not overwhelming to the point of seeming cheap

Cons:

• Extremely slow; frustratingly so at times
• The pacing and structure are a bit muddied; I wasn't clear on what separated each section from the next
• Pretty dense

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Grief, Lesbophobia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and War

Minor: Alcohol and Rape

msjenne's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Rape, and Religious bigotry

ashareadsbooks's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexism

Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

Minor: Dementia, Genocide, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Murder, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, and War

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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

Thanks to Riverhead Books for the free advance copy of this book.

- MATRIX is gorgeous, painful, and powerful. Groff's writing carries you along its current through Marie's ups and downs, power grabs and moments of softness.
- This book is an ode to matriarchy, female friendship and sapphic love, and how these support systems propel us through even the bleakest of times.
- Though at times the poetry of the writing felt like it kept the reader at a remove, I still felt deeply for these women, cheering their victories and mourning their losses with them. Even if you know next to nothing about Marie de France or Eleanor of Aquitane (as I did not) this book is still quite engrossing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, and War