Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

12 reviews

justmys's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Racism, Rape, Vomit, Death, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Violence, Classism, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Murder, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Child death, and Death of parent

Minor: Excrement, Incest, Fatphobia, and Animal death

kimby666's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I learned about the Packhorse Librarians through this book. It is overall a sad read with the level of poverty and racism that was present during this time, in that area. It was well written and was very easy to follow. It moved at a good pace, and did a good job with descriptions of the setting and characters. Overall, an interesting read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Blood, Classism, Child death, Hate crime, Death, and Sexism

amateur_bookworm's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

Genre: Historical fiction

My rating: 4

My summary: Set in Kentucky in 1936, Cussy is a 19-year old packhorse librarian, living at home with her coal miner father after her mother passed away about a year prior. Cussy, also known as Bluett, has a unique condition that makes her skin appear blue. This story follow Cussy through a series of life events and the people she interacts with in this poverty-stricken area, as well as the tribulations of being treated as a colored person during this time. 

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book, mostly due to the narrator, she was perfect as Cussy. It was an emotional read at times, listening to the difficulties and tragedies both Cussy and other characters in the book encountered, as well as the triumphs they experienced and the small joys they were able to find. Before this, I was unaware of the “Blue People of Kentucky” and I was interested enough to research a bit on it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Sexual violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty and Child death

someryarns's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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, Death, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Incest, Murder, Suicide, Body shaming, and Rape

mels_reading_log's review

dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

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

4.5

This story takes place in the mountains of Kentucky in 1936 and follows the life of a Pack Horse Librarian who takes books to those without access. She is also one of the historic blue people of Kentucky, so she deals with all of the disrespect and ignorance that goes along with 1930’s racist southern small town life. She values reading and education and knows that it is important for her patrons, especially the children, to be able to make a better life for themselves. As a former school social worker and someone who grew up in a small town in the south, I related to so much about her mission to help those in need and care and love on those you encounter. I’m about to start the sequel right now!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Chronic illness, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, Classism, Death, and Stalking

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide

atringas's review

adventurous emotional inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a fascinating and in depth exploration of a time and place in history often not spoken of. Although the main character Cussy is a creation of the author, the environment she exists in, as well as her condition and her job, did all absolutely exist. The novel is woven delicately and beautifully to convey the harsh reality and beautiful poetry of life in these rural communities at this point in time, without shying from the challenge and harshness of the same. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Abandonment, Child death, Blood, Bullying, Medical content, Rape, Ableism, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Grief, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Suicide, Incest, Police brutality, Racism, and Stalking

espressoreader's review

emotional hopeful informative 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Body shaming, Racism, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Rape, and Chronic illness

jharman44's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Blood, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Incest, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Police brutality, Violence, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, Bullying, Racial slurs, Rape, Stalking, Suicide, and Adult/minor relationship

letha_anderson's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? No

2.5

 The subject matter is interesting, but I had difficulty investing in the story.  A lot of the book is devoted to providing tiny details about how the main character does her job.  Knowing those details doesn’t really impact the story.  Most of these details could be left out, and it would not change the way the plot unfolds or the characters evolve.  I feel like the author was determined to cram the entirety of her research into this one novel – to the detriment of the story.  Additionally, the writing style is unnecessarily wordy, which I don’t enjoy.  I’ll leave some examples in spoilers.

 

Overly descriptive writing examples. 

“Above, fat thunderclouds sailed off to the east, the sheets of rain curtaining layered grandfather ridges that rose beyond.”  

“Then he was gone, his handprint a milk-ghosted blur disappearing into glass, a shiver left needling my spine.” 

“He wore a black floppy hat with a raccoon dick fastened above the brim, what the bootleggers placed in a still’s copper worm to direct the flow into the catch jug so there wouldn’t be any loss of shine, and a handy way to alert a thirsty fellar he was in the business.” 

“When R.C. Cole spotted me late Wednesday morning, he raised his arm, let out a whoop atop the tower railing, and flew down the steps barefoot like a bald hornet had lit after him, the steel stairs trumpeting an echo across Hogtail Mountain that clanged against rock face.” 

“I snapped the pair case shut, slipped the timepiece back into my skirts, and watched from atop Junia behind a thicket of brush and tall briar on a knoll as folks set up tables below, went about fancying the town for their big two-day celebration.” 

Reference: Richardson, Kim Michele. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (p. 141, 148, 150, 154, 210). Sourcebooks. Kindle Edition. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Rape, Chronic illness, Police brutality, Racism, Stalking, and Sexual violence

lyssylyssy's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Racism, Terminal illness, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Hate crime, and Body shaming

Moderate: Sexual violence, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Rape, and Racial slurs

Minor: Abortion and Death of parent