Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan

30 reviews

sedonaschiek's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, and Classism

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

horourke's review

challenging dark emotional informative

3.5

Devastating portrait of late-20th-century Ireland that details the complex gender norms of the time. Reflections on the Catholic church’s power, Magdalen laundries, and the culture of silence that enabled them for centuries. While great as it is, I do wish it was a bit longer. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Confinement, and Physical abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

fboschetti's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Child death

kettrickensmiled's review against another edition

sad 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? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Religious bigotry

Looking at the Magdalene Laundries from a male perspective, the reader is supposed to feel sorry for this man who just has a passing knowledge of the laundries, everyone turns a blind eye, he questions it slightly and meanwhile the women and girls who suffered are giving a passing mention. As a Novella it can’t go too deep into a topic but it left a bad taste in my mouth all the same. Others loved it so each to their own

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Excrement, Vomit, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, and Cursing

its_muireann's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, and Physical abuse

nialiversuch's review

emotional reflective sad fast-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Minor: Cursing, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Alcoholism

el90's review

challenging reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse

zoeelizaking's review

emotional inspiring reflective 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

5.0

Within barely 100 pages Keegan creates a quietly reflective story with such a rich and immersive atmosphere and deeply layered protagonist in Bill. It’s a story of humanity and all of the ways in which it’s challenged — and how when faced with these challenges we can choose hypocrisy or kindness — against the backdrop of 1980s Ireland. Keegan peppers the text with minute moments of social and political commentary which cumulatively have a searing effect. I read a review which said she doesn’t waste a single word, and I couldn’t agree more — the economy of language, coupled with what she achieves in so few words is staggering. I devoured in a single sitting — a masterclass in my opinion.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child death, and Emotional abuse

lizziea229's review

dark sad tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Trafficking, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Confinement

Minor: Suicidal thoughts