Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - Olive

Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Olive by Emma Gannon

10 reviews

meganclark's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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maddiela's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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

I think this book healed my soul. It was so relatable, heart-warming and I wish I could be friends with everyone in Olive’s friend group. May not be for everyone as it does have some triggering content related to motherhood but to anyone who is currently in that weird part of life where half of your friends have houses and are expecting babies and the other half of your friend’s are still partying in university - you should read this book. Even if you aren’t on the fence about motherhood and next steps in your mid-20’s, this book offers so many perspectives about what creates meaning in life and that there is no right or wrong when it comes down to how you want to live it.

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katharina90's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

Enjoyed reading a novel about a female character who's child-free by choice. Also liked that we see a wide spectrum of experiences. Those who:
-don't want kids
-want kids but are struggling with infertility
-have kids and are struggling postpartum or have regrets
-have kids and are thriving
-are estranged from their adult children
-etc.

Didn't love the characters. Each of the four friends was self-involved and either judgmental or inconsiderate of others in the friend group.

A missed opportunity to write about women who meet their friends where they are, with curiosity and an open mind, and a willingness to be supportive even when they don't immediately understand the other person's choices or struggles.

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michellek's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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

4.5

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franzi_'s review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-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

4.5

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katharina_s's review

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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laurataylor's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

Content Warnings

abbiemreads's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

Olive was a book unlike anything I’ve read before. It covered the conversation of motherhood and expectations so thoroughly and filled me with uncountable emotions that snuck up on me out of no where as I read further and further.

This book was leant to me by my 30 year old, and recent mother of a 2 year old, sister and I can’t help but think she must have been at the perfect cross roads in her life to read this. Despite the constant pregnancy announcements and the feeling of everyone I have ever been close to moving on with their lives, on crazy journeys and becoming more adult than I’ve ever felt, I think this book was a year or two early for me.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, or that I couldn’t relate to the characters. If anything I found it resonated quite well, it was just asking questions and showing view points I imagine would hit harder in a few years time. (I did have a good sob at the first scene though - thanks to my sister not telling me it was friends leaving their uni house when I started reading this 2 days after I left mine)

But I know it’s one that I’ll be thinking about for a while, and definitely a book I’ll be looking to reread when I reach those milestones.

Olive, Bea, Cec, Isla and their friendship makes me so happy. Seeing genuine female friendships, with each character developed fully, warms my heart and seems to be everything I’ve been searching for in those 20-to-30-something novels about growing up.

Even if some parts seemed cheesy or predictable it’s given me incredible food for thought, starting a discussion in my own mind that I’m sure I’ll extend to my friends soon. Olive is a talking point and something completely unique to my usual reads, which makes me glad to have stepped out of my comfort zone.

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kb_sherman's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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msliz's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

An unexpected gem! A thoughtful, honest and nuanced exploration of societal expectations regarding having children, and the impact a young woman's decision to be child-free has on her identity, wellbeing, friendships and relationships. I wasn't a fan of the narrative leaps back and forth in time, but otherwise really enjoyed this and think it would be an excellent book club choice.

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