Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

70 reviews

ajnsmiths's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-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

5.0

This magnificent novel was made even more powerful by listening to the audiobook narrated by the author. Even if you’ve read it before, listen to it. The power of Toni’s written words as she speaks them to you will blow you away.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual assault

mattyvreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

An absolutely harrowing and hugely important piece of literature. Possibly the saddest book I have ever read.

Morrison’s words are pure poetry. The issues she discusses in this novel are still relevant today. Not just horrifying, but horrifyingly true.

Everyone should read this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma

sarahrosea's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

unawake0442'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

5.0

Toni Morrison is a legend for a reason.

As I read, I kept thinking about the author's foreword, in which Morrison says she wanted the reader not to pity Pecola, but to examine their role in smashing her. Reading actively, with this in mind was eye-opening. How many times do we pity someone in worse circumstances than our own but do nothing to help or look away from our role in that oppression, intentional or not?

The Bluest Eye feels like a warning. It is a warning to those who tore Pecola down, the would-be protectors who failed her, the friends who were busy trying to get by themselves and let her fall through the cracks, the strangers who watched and did nothing but make remarks. And, of course, to Pecola herself.

There are many ways in which we fit all of these roles. I know I am, at times, perpetually busy and haven't reached out to loved ones as often as I should. I've stood in front of the mirror, wanting more, hurting myself with that want. I've pitied others without doing enough to be helpful.

The Bluest Eye feels just as essential today as ever.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Racism, and Sexual violence

Minor: Mental illness

ellawalken's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

perfect perfect. i need a drink, a cold shower, and a hug.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape

Moderate: Incest and Vomit

lisesenb's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad

• 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

4.75

Challenging but important

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Classism

a1exander's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• 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: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Excrement, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

bearsiies's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mikarala's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Well I'm glad I read it, but I can't say I enjoyed the experience. Morrison's prose is incredibly poignant and poetic, however this novel feels more like a series of vignettes than a true narrative, and the characters feel more like symbols than real people. Also, it served a purpose in the story, but the way bodily functions and sexual urges were described practically had me retching in real life. On one hand, that's really a credit to Morrison's writing that she was able to affect such a physical response, but also, it really contributed to how unpleasant parts of this novel were to read.

But again, that's kind of the point. This isn't supposed to be an easy read. It's horrifying, but it's meant to be because Morrison wants to depict how intergenerational trauma and internalized racism have affected the Black community. So for that reason, I found this hard to rate. In terms of getting its message across, I give this book 5 stars. But I just hated this experience of reading this so much (seriously, watch out for all the content warnings) that I can't really rate it higher.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Abandonment

Moderate: Suicide and Excrement

booknerd_therapist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

This book was recently a subject of controversy (read: banned), so the local book store owner held a book club for it and ordered a bunch of copies. I didn't make it to the club but bought it anyway.

I can see why white people are so disturbed by it. *I* am disturbed by it and I was prepared (somewhat) for controversial issues.

When I sit with and look past my discomfort.... what is underneath that is wonderment that white children are so shielded from the horrors black children are exposed to regularly.* I can see why white parents are so reactive.... if their white children had any idea what their black friends, teammates, frenemies, etc had to live with, it would shatter everything their mostly-white schools, churches, sports teams, etc were trying to teach them about the world and their place in it.

I do recommend this to my white friends because I believe it is equally valuable to any non-fiction antiracist book when it comes to challenging racism. And it is a beautiful work on its own. Just be prepared to sit with your discomfort.

*One of the recurring themes in the book is sexual abuse. I feel the need to give a disclaimer that sexual abuse is absolutely not a racial issue, but rather an issue children in general are exposed to. Part of the author's overall goal is to speak to the lives of children and their inherent vulnerability.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Minor: Death