Reviews tagging 'Schizophrenia/Psychosis '

Sempre hem viscut al castell by Martí Sales, Shirley Jackson

18 reviews

_lily_'s review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

this book was so wonderful oh em gee. i love merricat and constance so much. their dynamic and everything about them is just so amazing i luv them. my only complaint is the lack of commas & the absurd amount of ands in some sentences... but other than that, this book was very very good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Dementia, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Child abuse, and Child death

rgs's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Confinement, Classism, Ableism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, and Death of parent

Minor: Child death

omair's review against another edition

dark sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

A story where the mystery isn't a mystery and the absurd is treated as creepily mundane... and yet I found myself enjoying it. The juxtaposition for what I was feeling to what Merricat was feeling or saying was handled brilliantly that I can only assume it was intentional. If I were to plant myself in this world, I would almost certainly see things the way the villagers do, yet reading from the POV we have, I want to side with our main characters...

which an insane thing to say about a pair that are made of quintuple murderer with little remorse and a no-hesitation accomplice!

And yet in such a short space, powerful themes of gender roles, sexual identity, family trauma, possibly abuse, and severe mental illnesses are liberally sprinkled in along with commentary on individuality, agoraphobia, societal norms, greed, maturity (and familial responsibility in raising a child), and so much more. So much of what happens is left with such vague motives that the answers feel simultaneously obvious and yet impossibly absent.

The deeper I found myself into the book,

the more the reliability of the narration came into question

, and the more I felt a need to re-read sections to convince myself I didn't misunderstand or even completely miss details. Sympathizing with our protagonist even as

her twisted world and controlling mannerisms became more crystal clear

felt as confusing as the plot - in a good way - for me. I can certainly understand why this would not be the right cup of tea for everyone, but it was one I thoroughly enjoyed...

even though I certainly wouldn't take mine with any sugar.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Violence, Acephobia/Arophobia, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Ableism, Abandonment, Sexism, and Grief

Minor: Child abuse, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, and Child death

ohlwinem's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

4.25

There is something about this book that scratched a brain itch that I didn't know that I had. Given that in the past I have read other Shirley Jackson works, I am uncertain how I hadn't read this sooner. Though I do feel it is definitely more so in the vein of gothic rather than horror. 

It is strange with a dash of unhinged given the cast of character. For me the mix of audiobook with me reading along with a physical copy helped with the pacing and ultimately the 'unique' voice of the narrating main character. 

I'd recommend this to those that like the genre I refer to as weird girlhood. (Though Merrikat is 18, her mental state is very much in the realm of someone years younger. ) 
 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

morenowagain's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Mental illness, Hate crime, Confinement, and Violence

andrea_h111's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Murder

yleavy's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Ableism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Xenophobia and Incest

jficele's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book is stuck in my head, replaying scenes over and over trying to find meanings to them.  The symbolism and character development also has kept me thinking.  Exactly what I look for in a book.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Dementia, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Confinement, Death, Toxic friendship, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

thatchickengirl23's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Bullying, Chronic illness, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Dementia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent

henriediosa's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I love Merricat's style of narration and how the two sisters look out for each other. If you're looking for a non-romantic version of a fucked up love story, this is it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Murder, and Bullying

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Emotional abuse and Child abuse

There is an unreliable narrator who engages in a lot of magical thinking and has her own sense of morality. She's prone to daydreaming and wishing death upon people.