Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

15 reviews

rebeccadiv's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense 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

3.5

This book was very interesting to me because when I was reading it, I was engaged. But when I would put it down, I didn't feel particularly drawn to pick it up again. I'm not sure I would have finished it if I didn't have the second one on my TBR to read. I did enjoy following how all of the characters connected though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Self harm, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Suicide

Minor: War, Homophobia, and Racism

annaki_laila's review against another edition

reflective 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

3.75

Weird. Good and bad. Once I realised each chapter was the first and last time we'd get each character's perspective, I enjoyed it more - it felt more valuable. Overall interesting. One major thing I didn't like was the last chapter - maybe could've done entirely without it, and made the PowerPoint chapter the last one (I enjoyed that one) - because the cynical take on the future really overshadowed the actual narrative and full-circle-ness, for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Racism, Self harm, and Death

readbycarina's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Death, Self harm, Grief, and Misogyny

yaelaed's review against another edition

Had to DNF after reading the article where a man details why he attempted to rape someone, said writer being a character we are made to sympathize with in an earlier story. I don't think every story needs morally upstanding characters but I just don't get how I'm supposed to be experiencing this story? Either way, it has not been a pleasant experience. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction and Sexual assault

Minor: Cancer, Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Self harm, Drug abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

traa's review against another edition

emotional funny 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: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Violence, Colonisation, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Suicide, Death, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Addiction, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Self harm, and Drug abuse

Minor: Medical content, Religious bigotry, War, Violence, Racism, Genocide, and Homophobia

fraise's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Homophobia, Alcohol, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Body shaming, Medical content, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide attempt, Genocide, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Minor: Eating disorder and Cancer

marisam104's review against another edition

funny reflective tense 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? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm

Minor: Suicide attempt

gwendle_vs_literature's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

I bought this not knowing what it was — it was one of those “blind dates with a book” where you get it wrapped on brown paper with a vague description on the outside and pay a fraction of the normal cover price. It’s the first time I’ve actually been interested enough to buy one. It was described as “Dubliners for the digital age”, and it lived up to that.

This is an excellent book. It reads more like a collection of short stories, with each chapter focused  on a different character, but the way they all weave together and connect in the end is really impressive and beautiful, and by the time I’d finished it I understood why it’s billed as a novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, and Drug use

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, and Terminal illness

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, and Vomit

One chapter/story was difficult to read because it describes an attempted sexual assault from the perspective of the person who had committed it, so be careful of that if it might be triggering for you — chapter 9. There are other mentions of that event, as well as sketchy situations with sexual relationships between adults and minors, but chapter 9 is the one that’s overtly violent.

evaaah's review against another edition

adventurous reflective slow-paced

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

1.0

Maybe it’s because I was reading it fast because I wasn’t particularly interested in it, but I found it to be confusing and jumpy. As all the chapters are from different character perspectives, I spent more time trying to figure out who was narrating, rather than concentrating on the story. The overall plot was so bizarre I found it difficult to become attached to any of the characters aside from maybe Rob. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

hinkleh's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use

Moderate: Self harm and Suicide attempt