Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Freshwater, by Akwaeke Emezi

205 reviews

undersea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Dysphoria, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder

sarahsbookstacks's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

My mind is reeling

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Infidelity and Child abuse

emreads27's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

This book is unlike any I’ve ever read, and I would highly recommend it (with content warnings in mind). Igbo religion/culture was entirely new to me, so it helped to research and translate phrases between chapters for context. The westerner in me wanted to label their experience as DID, but the more I read, the more I tried to let go of psychological diagnosis and focus solely on their story, their voice. At times, the intensity pressed me to stop, but the raw vulnerability always pushed me forward. The Ada’s weaponization of their body in its own defense/desensitization, the fury, and the self loathing/self empowerment called to those same parts in me and my primal urge to protect the people I love who’ve undergone trauma and abuse in its many forms. To use a quote from the book, “Understand this if you understand nothing: it is a powerful thing to be seen.” Akwaeke Emezi’s writing was exquisite, and it will stay with me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

eliakine's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? Yes

4.5

this was a bit of a tricky read! not because it was difficult to read, the narrative voice was so clear, it made actually reading the book feel lovely and smooth. the topics discussed however were very heavy and numerous, so it's definitely not one for the faint of heart. even still, I don't regret picking it up at all, I just know that going forward I should be more careful to familiarise myself with content warnings before starting to read lol

I really enjoyed reading about Ada, and Emezi so skillfully wrote from so many different perspectives and voices this truly was a wonderful time. :)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Injury/injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Child abuse, Homophobia, and Transphobia

Minor: Physical abuse, Violence, and Outing

zitalilla's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Injury/injury detail, Rape, Dysphoria, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide

eve81's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual assault and Child abuse

krsnris's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative sad fast-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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Outing, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, and Drug use

madiekvv's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Drug use, and Rape

grey_jayne's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.25

Freshwater is beautifully written and the audiobook is read by the author. This is the third Emezi book that I have switched over to audiobook because they create characters with strong Nigerian voices that I don't feel comfortable narrating in my head. Besides this book, Pet and Bitter were also great audiobooks, read by people other than the author. All three audiobooks increased my enjoyment and Emezi's wordcraft is magical.

The story is a little challenging in how the splintered voices speak and this is the best DID narrative I know. Also the sharing of trans moments was quite honest and lovely too. I would recommend checking the content warnings though because parts of this book are intense. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Rape, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Self harm, Pedophilia, and Dysphoria

milanaradic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts