Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel

20 reviews

prettiestwhistles'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Cancer, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Misogyny, and Sexual content

sar_a_i's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Drug abuse, Grief, Dementia, and Drug use

Moderate: Terminal illness, Alcohol, Sexism, Addiction, and Cancer

savvylit's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

The Glass Hotel is about two things: a Ponzi scheme and being haunted by your own decisions. Mandel effectively uses ghosts to represent the lasting power of regret. Each of the multitude of characters experiences strong regret, whether they stole millions of dollars from clients or they merely miss a departed friend.

The con at the heart of The Glass Hotel is ripped straight from the headlines of 2008. Jonathan's securities fraud and subsequent arrest closely resemble Bernie Madoff's record-breaking Ponzi scheme. After becoming entangled in Jonathan's life, Vincent often notes that being surrounded by wealth feels like being in a foreign country. Mandel effortlessly explores that profound disconnect between unfathomable sums of money and the people who gain access to it. Furthermore, much like in Station Eleven, Mandel never specifically denotes a character as good or bad. Instead, she empathetically portrays the humanity of each individual featured. This is a clear strength of Mandel's and is something she does very well.

Overall, however, The Glass Hotel never manages to pack much punch. Yes, the atmosphere is top-notch. Yes, the ideas are fascinating. The layout, on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. There are too many perspectives and Mandel jumps between them in a nonlinear fashion that feels increasingly confusing as the plot progresses. I honestly believe that The Glass Hotel would have been more compelling if the only perspectives featured were Vincent, Jonathan, and Jonathan's client Olivia.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, and Terminal illness

wormgirl's review against another edition

challenging reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Addiction

Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

spaghettireads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Grief, and Terminal illness

Minor: Sexual content

painausten314's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Terminal illness

lizzie24601's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Emily St. John Mandel has such a way with words...

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

Minor: Terminal illness, Drug abuse, and Drug use

aaniforos's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Cancer, Drug use, Grief, Suicide, and Terminal illness

sorcha's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Dementia and Death

Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Infidelity

rosebud_reading's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really liked how the character lives slightly intermingled and how it left with this feeling that even slight encounters can leave big impacts. 

Also I went in blind. Didn't even realize it was a contemporary with a slight speculative element. Now looking at the synopsis it seems to say way to much? Glad i went in blind. Even tho this isnt the type of story I would normally go for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Suicide

Minor: Confinement, Mental illness, and Terminal illness