Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

147 reviews

siobhanward's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

3.5

 

I appreciated how meta this book was at times and how it leaned into it, but I definitely struggled with it at some points. The idea of it was great, and Annabelle and Benny were solid characters, but at times it felt like things were just kind of meandering. I liked how Ozeki moved back and forth through plots to create the story - this seems to be a theme for her and is frankly something she does well. I also loved how Ozeki pulled events from the real world into the book. I think that added a lot in terms of grounding a magical realism book in reality. This was a fun read, but a bit too long for me at times.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

orlagal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Body horror, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Police brutality, Self harm, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Blood, Body shaming, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Violence, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Rape

thursdd4y's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

2.5

The ending was lovely, but this book felt 200 pages too long and I really started to hate picking it up. Personally a lot of it could’ve been cut and made everything a lot more powerful and engaging, because at times it felt tedious.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Death, Drug use, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Addiction, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

samsearle's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Bullying, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

yellowbinge's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Self harm, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Drug use

maijaka's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

Bittersweet facet of the ending that I can’t tell if I appreciate or not 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, and Drug use

pinksparklybird's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

Fabulous construction of narrative. A layered look at grief and acceptance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Grief

hduc's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Death of parent, and Death

Minor: Police brutality, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Violence, Animal death, Drug use, Addiction, Mass/school shootings, Pedophilia, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, and Alcohol

zlinkous's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring sad

• 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: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide

phoebe_reading's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, and Self harm