Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Skim by Mariko Tamaki

18 reviews

steveatwaywords's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

4.0

Skim is a story of young women and misunderstanding, of challenges to compassion and walls against love, of the gulfs between death and alienation, of all of us stumbling ahead nonetheless. Insecurity is near the heart of Tamaki's characters who casually lash out and judge the behaviors of difference, but it is an insecurity nonetheless paired with longing. There is no clear path to love, and tentative overtures are as likely to be lost as tragically fulfilled.

While the stark black and white illustration work complements the bleakness of the story and the divisions between characters, I wondered at points whether greyer tones might better represent the quiet quests of these students against the public performative nonsense the mainstream offers.

Tamaki takes on the misunderstandings we have as people, not merely adolescents, around our discussions of suicide, of enmity, of community. And we must not expect pat or final answers to any of it; quite the opposite. We just keep moving forward as best we can.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Suicide, and Fatphobia

There is no graphic depiction of harm, death, or sexual situations, but these questions dominate the plot.

duriancake's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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 refreshing to read and was something I'm so glad I picked up! The art was beautiful and was a beautiful heartfelt story about growing up and loss. Initially, I was unsure about what to expect from this book after reading Amazon reviews since some seemed to come off that the book was romanticizing adult/minor relationships but I felt that the narrative was designed to show it wasn't a good thing even if it didn't say it explicitly. Race isn't a major topic in the book but it also had a moment that reaffirmed ones I had growing up Asian in a pwi and was nice to see incorporated into the story.

The ending was hopeful and had Skim finding her own way by

leaving behind a toxic relationship and a toxic friendship for Katie Matthews who unexpectedly befriends her and is hinted to end up with Skim.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, and Grief

pabi's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

perfectly captures how pretentious, insufferable and weird I felt in high school (probably on most days I was). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Grief, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Bullying, and Fatphobia

witchofthemountains's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Homophobia, Death, Cursing, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Toxic friendship, Racism, Lesbophobia, Grief, and Bullying

theautumnalreader's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

While the art and writing is well crafted, I was not the right audience for this graphic novel. While it's a coming of age story, and I think it has honest reflections of being in a girl's school that redeem the work, I really should have checked the trigger warnings.

I was neither prepared or happy with the pedophilia involved that doesn't really get addressed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Bullying and Racism

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

nicolescottwv's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Mental illness, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Homophobia and Racism

Minor: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts

itsjadenbaby's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-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

2.5

This was a very quick read. Lots of triggers but an honest portrayal of how it may feel to be young and not know what’s going on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicide, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Body shaming, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Xenophobia, and Racism

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Alcoholism

booksandcoffee_r_life's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

Skim is a deep coming of age story of the young Kim. A 15 year old East-Asian girl dealing with love, loss, and finding herself. I could stare at the pictures in this graphic novel for HOURS they are so unique and detailed. Each picture speaks 1000 words. 
I feel like we are just looking at a snippet into Kim's life, I feel like there far more to the story than I could ever understand. I feel like there are layers to the authors metaphors that I don't quite understand but I really want to. 
I would definitely recommend this book. Read it in an hour.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Suicide, and Homophobia

Moderate: Addiction and Adult/minor relationship

candycain's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Fatphobia, and Adult/minor relationship

fsethompson's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Mental illness

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, and Suicide attempt