Reviews with content warning for Self harm - This Winter

Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

This Winter by Alice Oseman

380 reviews

beyondthedustjacket's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing sad fast-paced

Read my review below or on Tumblr.
https://beyondthedustjacket.tumblr.com/post/772453423241150464/this-winter-mini-book-review

This review is spoiler free.

My Thoughts in 10 Words or Less ⁕ A great insight into the Spring family dynamics.

Synopsis ⁕ Christmas is meant to be a day of celebration. However, for Charlie and Tori Spring, the holiday quickly heads for a nosedive.

Warnings (from Alice Oseman’s Official Website) ⁕ Discussions of mental illness (depression and eating disorders), mentions of past self-harm and time spent at a psychiatric ward.

Star Rating ⁕ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Star of the Show

Oliver Spring! Because, despite being seven years old, he’s literally the only member of the Springs who isn’t trying to start a fight during the holidays.

Things I Liked

Nick becomes rather serious during a discussion with Charlie and shows off his emotional intelligence in a great moment between the two.

Tori is fantastic as always! She really does her best by Charlie in this novella. Plus, Oliver got some time to shine — he’s so sweet and precious!

Things I Disliked

Jane Spring is still my nemesis. I can’t stand that woman. I know she’s trying her best, but come on, girl, you can do so much better. Please get it together!

Also, David makes an appearance (unfortunately).

Other Notes

Reading novellas like this one, as well as Nick and Charlie, makes me wish Alice Oseman would write a short story collection of other people who live in Kent. Especially if they’re new characters we’ve never been introduced to!

Content Warnings

bookishgirlie's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense 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

Content Warnings

stephsbookreviews's review against another edition

4.5

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

I didn't even know there were companion novellas to the Heartstopper series until I was gifted this just this Christmas (thanks April!). This was a super sweet little Christmas story, chronologically falling about halfway through the events of Heartstopper Volume 4. As always, beautiful themes of family, love, sibling bonds, and coming of age. The chapter told from Oliver's point of view (the last chapter) had me misty eye, just so so sweet and lovely (hit even harder now that I have a son). These stories just always feel like warm hug and this one was no different.

Content Warnings

cripcor's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective 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

Alice Oseman never misses!!!! This was a sweet little Christmas story with Emotions!!!! I absolutely loved how reassuring this was when discussing Charlie's ED, he's doing so well and bad days are a part of that journey too.

Tori Spring my beloved!!! I just want to wrap her up in a little blanket, she cares so much about Charlie even at her own expense. Happiness for Tori please, she deserves the world.

Listened to this on audio while reading,,,literally what else would I do. But!!! I listened to the newer version, where Jenny Walser (the actress who plays Tori in the Netflix adaptation) narrates Tori's pov!! It was wonderful, it made me emotional and the narrators for charlie and Oliver were also fantastic. If you're going to listen to the audiobook, definitely pick up this version.

Long review for such a short novella but it's so good. It's festive and sweet and emotional. Perfect combination.

Content Warnings

bookjess13's review against another edition

3.5

emotional reflective sad slow-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

Content Warnings

abbyreads1's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

evielikestwilight's review against another edition

4.0

emotional inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

taranim's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I read this earlier than I had expected to when I learned that season three of Heartstopper had adapted the storyline from it. It’s a short read - I read all of it while on break at work - but a nice edition to the Heartstopper storyline. It made me appreciate Tori’s character a lot more, especially her anxieties about not being good enough as an older sister. It made me want to pick up Solitaire. While clearly written for a younger audience, I still enjoyed it.

Content Warnings