Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak

39 reviews

lianne_rooney's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Self harm, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Murder, Grief, Drug use, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Incest, Hate crime, Death, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Mental illness, and Religious bigotry

gbmillar2002's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

Shafak beuatifullly weaves narratives and prose to create Tequila Lelia’s story. This is a story that blends her experience of death and her life, whilst also exploiting the affects on her found family. The plot, characters and word choice is excellent, however i the reason why I have not given this novel 5 stars is because strong emotion was not evoked eg sadness, happiness etc.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Xenophobia, Transphobia, Self harm, Ableism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Child death, Mental illness, and Trafficking

hanamany's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Death, Murder, Miscarriage, Drug abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Incest, Suicide, Self harm, Transphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Rape, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, and Addiction

meadhbh's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

This is the story of Leila, a sex worker who has just been killed in Istanbul, and the memories she recalls in her last 10 minutes and 38 seconds of life. It's also the story of the friends she's made, and how desperately we can care for the people we love.

I used to think that I didn't like historical fiction. It seemed boring and stuffy to me, and I could never really get into it. 

I mostly still feel the same, but a series of non-Western modern history books have been slowly warming me to it. The Seven Moons of Mali Almeida and Mexican Gothic are two other recent reads I have loved. 

This book is mostly about Leila and her friends, but it's also about Istanbul. It's about communism, and Islam, and sex work, while also not really being about any of those things. Read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Death, Grief, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Transphobia

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Blood, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Miscarriage, and Murder

Minor: Genocide

andreapap15's review

challenging dark informative 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Rape

Moderate: Self harm, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Transphobia

Minor: Abortion and Deadnaming

dafni's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Child abuse, Rape, and Pedophilia

Minor: Self harm, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

acupofmouie's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, Miscarriage, Transphobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Homophobia, Rape, and Violence

madelinemay1's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, and Child abuse

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Self harm

williamgideon's review

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective sad 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

4.5

I really love Elif Shafak. Her writing, storytelling and ability to craft complex and loveable characters is just spectacular. I loved every minute of reading this book. I was never bored, which is very rare for me lol. It was just so interesting, the setting and all the characters. Leilas friend group was so amazing. It kind of reminded me of the show Pose in the way it handled the found family trope alongside grief and opression. This is a really amazing book and the second best book of Shafak's that I've read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Child abuse

Moderate: Grief, Miscarriage, Murder, Self harm, Pregnancy, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Mental illness, and Trafficking

ruthmoog's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

This has some very challenging topics but nonetheless I really enjoyed it. I will surely reread this, it's a brilliant idea to recount Leila's life you could say flashing Infront of her eyes. It's funny and approachable. Set in the drama of Istanbul and even, of course, a cat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Mass/school shootings, Incest, Confinement, Violence, Sexism, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Genocide, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Grief, Rape, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Hate crime, Gun violence, and Adult/minor relationship