Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

253 reviews

jcshells's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Suicide, Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Body horror, Death, Mental illness, and Confinement

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol and Homophobia

aselin's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, and Physical abuse

cspa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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

5.0

This book is truly captivating. It beautifully combines poetic and lyrical elements without losing its essence. It paints a poignant picture of love, loss, and the profound impact of change. The narrative is haunting, immersive, skillfully crafted, and deeply moving. The story unfolds gradually, with the first half focusing on the characters adjusting to the unfamiliar, while the latter half reveals the true depth of their losses and transformed love.

I ventured to the 1-star reviews to see what could possibly make someone dislike a book that - in my eyes - is like no other and has reignited my passion for consuming creative writing. If your qualm with this book is its vagueness or lack of a clear plot, I would say you may not have looked deep enough. The story is not laid out in front of you as an outline; it is meant to make you FEEL as Leah and Miri FEEL as they come to terms with their metamorphic reality and forever changed love. The stagnation and frustration you bear as a reader represents how the characters cope, and if you don’t like actively feeling those emotions, it makes sense why you wouldn’t enjoy this book. However, I am a glutton for punishment and expect books and art to make me endure the range of emotions especially with topics that address the processing of grief, adapting, letting go when it feels impossible or even foreign and unnatural. Armfield doesn't give you the answer because there is none, making it all the more devastating.

Loved it, couldn't recommend it more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Body horror and Confinement

elliebasta's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Terminal illness, Body horror, and Vomit

Minor: Death of parent and Violence

czoltak's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, and Confinement

exhaustrovert's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Haunting narrative, I don't often (ever) write in books but this one drive me to find a pencil and add my thoughts in the margins. I long for the sea, and grieve.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Medical content, Suicide, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Terminal illness, Dysphoria, Body horror, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

izzybell's review against another edition

mysterious slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Body horror

Moderate: Lesbophobia and Death of parent

maddiechristine15's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Confinement, Blood, and Body horror

Minor: Death of parent

kaanda's review against another edition

slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

Super engaging throughout. Romantic in the weirdest ways while stringing along a story that was so fun to put together as the book went on. Sad, but rewarding with a ton of beautiful lines.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Dementia

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Homophobia, Vomit, Gore, Violence, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Confinement, and Suicide

todrick_the_tree's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Confinement

Moderate: Death of parent and Death

Minor: Terminal illness