Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

79 reviews

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

5.0

This book tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, a black woman who had her cells taken when she went into Johns Hopkins Hospital for cancer treatment. The cells which were taken without her consent were then sold and distributed around the world for medical research and are still used today. The fact that this story is real is so troubling. The way the medical community has taken advantage of poor, black and handicapped people in the name of medical advancement is atrocious and it makes perfect sense that many do not trust doctors because of this. 

I did like the way the book was written like a podcast, where we went along with the author to do research and meet with the family members. This keeps the information accessible and easier to understand than dense science talk. I believe this information should be required knowledge in this country, so people, especially the non black can know the depths of racism that exist and understand that this was less than 100 years ago.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Alcohol, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Incest, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, Death, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Cancer, Chronic illness, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Terminal illness

Minor: Suicide

muppetymelody's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective sad

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma and Medical content

Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Ableism, Addiction, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Cancer, Confinement, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Pedophilia, and Racism

hayreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

4.75

A good and informative book. Not my usual read, but very well written. Points off for slow pacing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Child death, Cancer, Medical trauma, Slavery, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Addiction, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, Sexual harassment, Death, Murder, Mental illness, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Drug abuse, Confinement, Chronic illness, and Adult/minor relationship

ejthephoenix's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! I’m so happy that Henrietta and her family have finally gotten some recognition after all this time and get to tell their story. I’m also really glad that this book is being included in my class at our school. I would definitely recommend reading this book no matter what you like to read! :) Non-fiction, fiction, science, theories, biographies, realistic fiction, and even non realistic fiction lovers will love this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Drug use, Incest, Murder, Pregnancy, Slavery, Racism, Rape, Cursing, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Outing, and Blood

alliejuve's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Incest, Medical content, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, and Sexual violence

Minor: Slavery

angela_iseli's review against another edition

emotional informative sad slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, and Racism

cj13's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Child death, Cancer, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide

savannahsshelf's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.75

Initial read: June-July 2019 4.5⭐️
Reread January 2024 4.75-5⭐️

If you’re in science or medicine this is required reading. If you do research on people or human cells and haven’t read this… do that right now! 

Every single person reading this review had their life changed by Henrietta Lacks’ cells so you might as well read the book about her and them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Sexual assault, Death, and Murder

sztokfisz's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, and Cancer

Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Slavery, Medical content, and Sexual violence

challengermilo's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

Had to read it for school so it was harder to enjoy, I'm sure I would've liked it more if I read it on my own time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Death of parent