Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

96 reviews

elianacox's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I want to preface this by saying I didn't know what I was getting myself into with this book. It's marketed as a contemporary romance, but it doesn't sit that way with me. The

domestic abuse

plot really sprung onto me. While I'm not sure if that's considered a spoiler (make sure to check trigger warnings to which I didn't), I had no idea that was the primary tone of the novel. 

I did become skeptical of the book's intentions, and where the story was headed, when we started reading Lily's journals. As a reader, I know I am suppose to root for one of them (Atlas or Ryle) and it's unclear at the beginning who you are suppose to be "falling" for.

My only issue with the book comes from the glossing over of Lily's decision regarding

her pregnancy

. I realize that with the way Hoover wanted to write this particular story, Lily needed to have

a child

.

She wanted to tell the story of a victim of abuse, who had preconceived notions as a child that women are weak for not leaving their abusers, to then turn into that woman

. She also wanted the novel to reflect her mother's own story,

that of which included her mom having 2 children with her abuser before she divorced him and left

. However, I am upset that

abortion was never brought up. I am well aware that not everyone would get one. I know that for some people it isn't an option they would ever choose. But to not include a single sentence, by either her own inner thoughts or by another character (including her own doctor), about her options is a political cop-out. Unless Hoover is pro-life and I just don't know it (to which that would explain why she didn't bring it up), I think it is wrong to not include a single sentence of Lily's options

.

Putting that aside, I think it's a good story. It wasn't a story that at times I agreed with, but I acknowledge the fact that this does happen to people. For some people, it is their reality to have

children from their abusers

and by no means is it my place to judge those women who choose

motherhood

. I appreciated the viewpoint into someone's life who said that if they were ever

in an abusive relationship that they would leave, but then almost unexpectedly finds themselves in one despite everything

. I think it can be hard for some readers to grasp that. To grasp that you can tell yourself one thing, but until it happens and you are forced into that situation, you really don't know and you don't understand.

There are other reviews that have been posted saying that they didn't appreciate the emotional manipulation that they felt while reading. All I can say is that whenever I felt heartbroken over the scenes that took place in the novel, I told myself that this is a sad reality.

Domestic violence affects 1 in 4 woman and to say that Hoover took too many creative liberties into making the reader "feel all the feels", I counteract and say that she's just writing the sad reality that does happen and that many women face

.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Suicide attempt and Cancer

rosebizzell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Opening this book I didn’t think that it would live up to the standards I had. I thought it was going to be overhyped and not worth it. 

When I started reading it, I didn’t think the writing was anything special. Then as I read the book, it was the story that was special. And it was told in such a way that I found myself stressed and excited and anxious and sad. All of the emotions

It really touches on a topic that is personal to some people. And I think that those who don’t rate this book highly are people who have never experienced what has happened in this book whether it’s first hand or as a bystander. But as someone who has experienced it, the inner turmoil was captured perfectly and I loved it !

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse and Rape

Minor: Cancer and Death of parent

gothmiku's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Infertility, and Panic attacks/disorders

chyannamarie'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cancer and Gun violence

the_book_nook's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Infertility

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Cursing, Death, Self harm, Terminal illness, Child death, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Gore, and Alcohol

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I’m sure whatever I have to say about this book has already been shared by many others, but wow.

Do not take this book lightly. It is heavy, it is emotional, it is deeply depressing, it is maddening, it is dark. But it is also so incredibly anchored in real and good. It takes you deep into its pages, so much so that you know you won’t make it out without feeling every emotion known to man. In the best and worst ways. Like real life.

Colleen Hoover’s writing is the kind that you never have to think twice about—it is simply impeccable, end of. Her characters are so multidimensional, her storylines so seamlessly woven across and beside each other. She is the kind of author who makes you forget you’re reading. You become part of the story.

I loved this novel, so much. Abuse and domestic violence has never been written about so candidly before in a fiction novel. It is riveting, it is sickening, it is intense, it is everything that gets swept under the rug or left behind closed doors. Yes, this book does have some adorably sweet romantic aspects to it, nostalgic tenderness and forgiving lightness, though that is not the main takeaway by no means.

This is a very powerful story; and it is about love, but not in the ways you would expect. Love is not linear. Sometimes it’s not even a line at all. It can destroy you, but sometimes it can save you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Violence, Abandonment, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

lulunyx's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I completely love this book. It emotionally destroyed me and made me feel so many complex things.  Spectacularly written and well handled difficult but important topics. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Death of parent and Rape

Minor: Cancer, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Bullying

risemini's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

nicoles_reading_corner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, Blood, and Death

Minor: Cancer, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Child death

coriblake's review against another edition

challenging hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Rape, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Child abuse

Minor: Death, Alcoholism, Cancer, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Death of parent