Reviews tagging 'Grief'

We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin

29 reviews

slimejules's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad

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

5.0

absolutely LOVED this one. the storytelling felt original, the characters were fleshed out perfectly. i think emily austin's character studies are meant to feel like punches to the gut, and this one got me even moreso than her last two. sigrid spoke to me so deeply and i will carry her with me for a long time. i wish we could be rats.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Cancer and Medical content

disguisedposer's review

dark funny hopeful 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

rylaneli's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved this - I’ve enjoyed Emily Austin’s previous two novels but this is a clear favourite. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug abuse

Minor: Ableism, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

dogoodwithbooks's review

dark emotional 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

Unconventional in form and structure, We Could Be Rats takes awhile to fully understand, but once you do, this might be her best work yet. Mixing the angst that comes with coming-of-age, grieving for the loss of childhood, and reuniting sisterhood bonds, We Could Be Rats is the kind of book that will stay with you after closing the last page. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship

mmecade's review

dark emotional 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: Drug abuse, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse

lila134340's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

littlelizzieborden's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Vomit

edamamebean's review

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Emily Austin just never misses. This is such a good one, but has some darker themes from her other books. I recommend reading the trigger warnings. Also maybe skip this one if you’re not a fan of the unreliable narrator trope. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Lesbophobia

hue's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Complicated, sad, something to reflect on. It was however more of s rambly "thinking out loud" kinda story than what I initially thought as the description mentioned it being a story about sisters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, and Suicide attempt

laura_berger's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Lesbophobia