Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo

15 reviews

sammi1966's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐📖 Book Review 📖
#johnnygothisgun
#daltontrumbo
#antiwar
#powerful
#hollywood10

I'm not even sure what to say about this book but WOW! This was probably the most powerful #fiction book I have ever read. Possibly will be the most powerful that I will ever read in my lifetime. Written and published 2 weeks after WWII started. It is story is based on a man that was severely injured in WWI. #fullydisabled, physically. Brain still fully functional. This book has been used almost as a manual for those questioning, why war? Especially during the Vietnam War. 

I don't believe that this will be spoiler bc it is all written in the forward. During the story, the MC discovers that he has lost his legs, his arms, his hearing and his face. Yes, his face. There are several #flashbacks. There is much #philisophical questioning, searching for answers. Surprisingly, very (easily) readable. 

Apparently, Dalton Trumbo was 1 of the Hollywood 10. Those men who where black-balled bc they were believed to be communist. I think I need to see what else I can find that was written by him. I hope other writings are available. 
#veryimportantread

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

xvicesx's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A deeply moving descent into madness, showing human ingenuity in the face of untold adversity, though ultimately grim in the way it wraps up. I'm not sure it's the kind of book you'd read over and over again, but definitely the kind of book you want to read before you go off to war for glory.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Medical trauma, and War

Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

guinness74's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

A truly horrifying work that spells out the horrors of war. I did not care for Trumbo’s stream-of-consciousness writing, but I understand its purpose in terms of the main character. And Trumbo certainly gets his point across using Joe Bonham as his example for the terrifying reality of wars. Sure, wars have become a bit more ‘humane,’ I guess, since the WWI setting for this novel. Actually, humane isn’t the right word. Antiseptic, I suppose. But then, I can say that from my safe distance; my privilege, can’t I? Anyway, the worth of this book is compiled into the last couple of chapters. Not that you shouldn’t read it all, but the importance of it is at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

coolfoolmoon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book was mentioned by one of my film professors in our class about the Hollywood blacklist era and I'm so glad I remembered it. You can see why HUAC hated his ass he was a genius!

The audiobook was performed so well but also the intro from the mom really made me emotional. Then I was like fuck this book is gonna fuck me up too isn't it? And then it did. I didn't cry but you really feel every emotion. A book that can truly be universally understood.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Slavery

christmaskid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This is a difficult read to give a numbered rating. The narrative is difficult to follow in places because it drifts in and out of dream states between past, present, reality and dream. However: a very necessary read when historical context is taken into account as well as the way the novel holds itself today - ‘you point the way and we will point the way.’ Beautiful prose forges a powerful anti war message, especially in Trumbo’s forward and his last few pages

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Blood

wyabook234's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and War

Moderate: Gore, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

danimacuk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bkmckown's review against another edition

5.0

This book was an emotional ride! This author was well beyond his time and struck every nerve and left them raw. The writing was amazing, the story was tragic and heartbreaking and it made the reader feel such strong empathy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail

spooderman's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Alcohol

rebeccamatthews's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical trauma and War