Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Hitze by Raven Leilani

79 reviews

abmochapman's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

If Luster is the portrait of a woman, then it is one with so many conflicting strokes that it is not easy to make out, to see it all together as one whole. At twenty-three, Edie is entirely unsure of herself and what she wants. Her life feels out of control so she just lets it happen to her, seeming to relish the moments when it inches closer to an end. There is no neat plot. She is directionless. It is difficult to read but also difficult to look away. 

As a main character, Edie is dizzying. Her decisions, and the decisions of the people around her, are very frequently erratic and inexplicable. This makes a lot of sense for where she is in her life (that is, stumbling around) but it feels kind of strange for the older couple in whose relationship she has become entangled. There’s also so much fruitless internal monologue. The author’s generous use of metaphors and run-on-sentences is sometimes striking and poetic but oftentimes pretentious and incomprehensible. 

At the end of the book, I feel like the narrative has barely moved forward. Maybe that’s just the reality of such a situation. This is a the story of a young woman struggling to get anywhere. The moments Edie shares with the wife, Rebecca, and the daughter, Akila, feel the most meaningful but I almost feel like they are still not fully developed. With such a slow build-up to an abrupt end, I am left wanting much more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Self harm

Minor: Animal death

dixiecarroll's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Sharp, smart, emotional, and more. This is worth the hype (not seen on Goodreads clearly lol). Very quick read and is exactly what I wanted to see from Such a Fun Age, with Edie and Rebecca’s relationship, specifically. I laughed out loud a few times and then held back some heavy emotions at others. Ultimately, well worth your time because it’s finish-able in one sitting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

taylorsevalia's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, and Stalking

hbocking's review against another edition

dark funny slow-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

3.25

I think to myself, You are a desirable woman. You are not a dozen gerbils in a skin casing.

It’s giving Conversations with Friends, but with a main character with a sense of humor instead of privilege and pretension.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Suicide, Abortion, and Pregnancy

alisonfaith426's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death and Car accident

geesammy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

Captivating, like watching a fatal car crash in slow motion.  Spare and sharp.  Some brilliantly written lines.  Not enjoyable through as the subject matter is rough.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Pregnancy

heather_harrison's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

Would recommend for fans of Sally Rooney. Coming of age story that explores gender, relationships, race, identity and mental health. The characters may not be likeable but they’re compelling and complex. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Racism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

ahopper7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

The book wasn’t working for me, but once I switched to the audiobook, I was able to get into the story more. The characters are not likeable, but I gather that was on purpose. The story is dark, but the way the author handled how trauma shows up in our lives and vulnerability of discovering yourself including your worth was beautiful. Overall, the book just wasn’t for me, but I appreciate what the author was doing with the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Abortion

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

booksbeyondthebinary's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-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

4.0

This story features Edie, a young black woman who meets Eric, a man who says he is in an open marriage, navigating his wife and their adopted daughters presence. 

It’s a realistic look at everyday relationships, the ways in which we pick and choose what we want to show to others and what we prefer to keep hidden for ourselves. It’s also an interesting story about how our upbringing shapes us and shapes the way we view those around us, evidenced by the ways we interact, write people off, and develop preconceived notions. 

It’s an incredibly human story. Edie is, for me, a relatable character. It’s a story of survival, trying to fulfill our most basic needs, and figuring out where we belong.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Police brutality, Abortion, and Pregnancy

sabmanosa's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I enjoyed this book at the start, then found it tedious, then enjoyed it again. It feels like an extremely personal diary, and the writing is sardonic, dirty, and too honest. I didn’t much care for any of the characters except Akila. 

The power and sex dynamics made me very uncomfortable, and I don’t know if the plot had a point, but not necessarily in a bad way. I didn’t learn anything from it, I just experienced the book. I’m interested in reading some of her shorter works, because I feel like I would enjoy them more with her writing style. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy