Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead

5 reviews

macknificent's review

dark emotional sad 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

4.25

I respect this book, I understand its importance, but I did not enjoy it. 

Took off a quarter star because the book is described as sex positive when it really isn't. There was A LOT of talk about penises and laying in semen, but a lot of it was presented as something that caused the MC pain/shame. Sex neutral seems a better descriptor, though still not quite right. 

Anyway, I think this is an important read that I never want to read again. Ranks right up there with Freshwater and Split Tooth.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual content, Colonisation, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Mental illness, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Death, Classism, Drug use, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Pregnancy

fuguefire's review

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

5.0

A fantastic story, I can't wait to read more from Joshua Whitehead. Easily one of the best books I've read so far this year, Whitehead has an incredible aptitude for description and implication, a gift I feel lucky to find applied towards an indigenous genderqueer narrative. 
A note to fellow queer readers: this book made me feel uncomfortable in a way that only queer lit can. Some scenes felt like the characters were looking me in my eyes and speaking my name. I have rarely felt as much of a kinship with a book as I did with this one, and I'm honestly not sure if that's a good thing. 
Regardless, it makes for a good argument in favor of this book and Whitehead's ability as an author. I look forward to reading more from them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual content

Moderate: Homophobia, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Vomit, Transphobia, Mental illness, Body shaming, and Racism

Minor: Bullying, Classism, Gore, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Dysphoria, Excrement, Infidelity, and Pedophilia

hyliansee's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Bullying, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcohol, and Child abuse

Moderate: Animal death, Fatphobia, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Rape, Racism, Colonisation, Death, Hate crime, and Physical abuse

kirkspockreads's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Homophobia, Bullying, Alcoholism, Transphobia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Terminal illness, Death, Cursing, Colonisation, Child abuse, Bullying, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Dysphoria, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

jules28's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, Drug use, and Bullying