Reviews tagging 'Death'

My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

5 reviews

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

3.0

Easy, quick read at less than 200 pages. I read this in one sitting, and only finished because I have book 2 and have heard it’s better than Lucy Barton, plus as I said it’s a quick read.

Stream of consciousness writing style with chapters jumping from different points of time which could be confusing at times. I’m not a big fan of this writing style because it usually lacks depth and the characters felt one dimensional.

I felt detached to the characters because there’s a lot of telling instead of showing. Maybe it’s because of how short the novel is and it tries to span so much time in so few pages.

The book is an interesting exploration of a childhood lived in extreme poverty, neglect, tense mother-daughter relationships, and loneliness. I did appreciate some quotes that made me think but overall it’s not bad or great, just average and forgettable. I’m hoping other reviewers are right and book 2 (as well as another of Strout’s novels, Olive Kitteridge) is better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Classism, Medical content, and Grief

Moderate: Death

Minor: War, Murder, Genocide, and Homophobia

shelfofunread's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Toxic relationship, and Terminal illness

Minor: Infidelity, Homophobia, and War

notartgarfunkel's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content

Moderate: War, Death of parent, Death, and Homophobia

Minor: Fatphobia

rosalind's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

The whole experience of reading felt like sticking my fingers in someone else’s open wound; intimate, but not in a nice way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Child abuse

Moderate: Grief, Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Sexual content and Classism

ellensmith's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Beautifully and achingly sad and happy and true 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Homophobia