Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

79 reviews

random19379's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, Suicide, and Infidelity

Moderate: Abortion and Transphobia

Minor: Homophobia and Racism

writingcaia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This is a complicated book to describe. Also not the easiest to read if one is not familiar with African and Nigerian deities and folklore, still it is a coming of age story, a story of a girl that is born filled with others that are Gods, genderless, capricious, sometimes evil, sometimes protectors.
Plagued with a hard childhood she self mutilates especially after becoming more physically woman-like and what it means. 
In her late teens she’s brought up to America from Nigeria just to suffer at the hands of evil men and to fight the trauma of they’ve done she becomes that which they fear and desire, lost inside herself she lets the Gods inside take control so she can endure. But, she’s constantly divided, constantly in between realms, our world and the veil other world from where they all came and will come again. She is plagued with gods, identities, struggle and pain. Sometimes being pushed into closely wanting to be gone and join the gods that occupy her body.
It is not an easy tale but it follows closely the author’s own journey with accepting their troublesome and pained past and also gender identity, while heavily mixing it with the roots and myths of their culture.
An almost magical realism biographical fiction story of spirit, religion and resilience, and finding one true self in the mist of much pain, despair, and wanting to be gone, and also to be truly found in oneself.
The ending of the book was a bit confusing and I am still not truly sure what it meant although I choose to believe the best happened for them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, and Eating disorder

Minor: Suicide and Rape

holly_jones's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Drug abuse

vallyore's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective tense 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

3.75

i’m sorry this book felt like a waste of time i feel nothing ughhh 👎👎 the book wasn’t confusing and i found it really interesting but the ending was so … idk. 

i LOVED the writing and i feel like this book could be 4-5 stars after a reread but for now i’m sorry ion feel it like that

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

katjalainen's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, and Self harm

growplantsreadbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

This is one of the best books I've ever read. I'm embarrassed, this author has been on my radar for so long and I just had to put their entire catalog on hold. What a fresh & forgiving depiction of mental illness and the sometimes hard path to self acceptance & spirituality. 
PLEASE read the content warnings to brace yourself for a difficult read.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, and Mental illness

Everything is handled gently and never felt exploitative. Still, take care of yourself.

page_28's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

Beautifully written, has to be re read. An interesting exploration of the self. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, Death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

ktkeps's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, Self harm, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Grief, and Medical content

miricles's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Suicide

zoe_1701's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional fast-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt