Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

1151 reviews

nklimczak's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Sexual content

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Suicide, Bullying, Classism, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Grief

hjb_128's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual content, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Misogyny, and Drug use

Minor: Death of parent

sararm318's review against another edition

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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

aroush's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Gaslighting

modeislodis's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

3.25

Rooney is an exceptional writer, but I was upset that her characters couldn’t accept being so deep in love. It was portrayed like their love was a weakness. That bothered me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Mental illness

somills's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I’m taking it a bit fucking personally that anyone thought that a rating under 5 stars was appropriate here. I realize that’s dramatic but I’m PROCESSING. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

estellegodard's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

3.0

I found this book pretty enjoyable to read but I did not find the character study to be earth shattering at all. a lot of these sentiments were familiar to me already and it thematically didn’t feel like anything ground breaking; very overhyped book.
the very last chapter of the book was the most clear-cut depiction of the protagonists’s relationship and the way each views love. but all in all, I never felt convinced of their affection for eachother nor of the complexities and obstacles they faced. the entire time it feels like we are circling around the main point this novel is trying to make, yet we never truly achieve it. 
lastly, it also felt like many characters were meant to be unlikable but we were never given a proper motive , like alan for example. many of the peripheral characters were one-dimensional even though they play a pretty big role in each of the protagonists’s developmental arc. 
overall, I would say this is a very middle of the road book that doesn’t provide much human relatability at all, despite that seemingly being the point. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse

Minor: Mental illness

kd1322's review against another edition

challenging sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

honestly this book was underwhelming. some of it just seemed pointless and I don't really understand why some elements were only shown at specific points like Connel's depression at the end. The themes were interesting and I like the way the book was written with time passing as it does represent their relationship well. the author has written it fairly well with the ability to really take you back to the past from a present moment, get you engaged with that story then pull you back to the present. however, the ending was so open and the book really wasn't as interesting as I would've liked it to be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Blood

gioulireads's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

3.75

Something between 3.5 and 4 stars I think? Maybe a 3.75? 

A book that can be easily read, however the first half was kind of flat. I liked the concept of the absence of communication through the absence of the quotation marks and it didn't really affect my reading.

Sally Rooney writes in a way that can montage the past and the present the same way a TV show does, that is very smooth and non-irritating.

I hated Connel at first, his lack of communication was exhausting and unfair to Marianne, however towards the end I feel for empathetic for both of them.

The last quarter is what made me love that book, because there was an actual plot going on. However I feel it ended it a rush. I'd like to know more about Sweden, if she told Connel about it, and Connel's mental health to be described in more depth.

To sum it up, I liked the book but i'd need at least one more chapter that talks about their relationship in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Mental illness

elisalasater's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Misogyny, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts