Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

A Lógica Inexplicável da Minha Vida by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

5 reviews

manou_r's review against another edition

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

5.0

Ik weet niet hoevaak ik heb gehuild tijdens het lezen van dit boek, maar het was vaak. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Violence

bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Cursing, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Bullying, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Blood, Pregnancy, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Alcohol, Cancer, Terminal illness, Violence, Addiction, and Sexism

apricothopeful's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Grief, Homophobia, Cancer, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness

papercraftalex's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

If you like coming of age novels wrought with emotion and metaphors, you'll love this. Benjamin Alire Saenz has a magical way with words and his characters are always so real. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, and Violence

raesengele's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As much as I enjoyed this book and Benjamin Alire Sáenz's writing, I'm not entirely sure what happened with this one. His writing seems to have taken a bit of a dip compared to his adult novels/short stories. Not that it's bad, don't get me wrong, just not what I'm used to seeing from him. The language is very simplistic with some unnecessary repetition. For instance, on page 5:

And her shoes? Sandals. Sandals? I waited all this time for a pair of sandals she bought at Target?

"Great day," she said, all smiles and enthusiasm.

"Sandals?" I said. "That's what I was waiting for?"

It would have come across just the same if the first bit had simply been, "And her shoes? Sandals." then moved into the dialogue from there. It's nitpicky, I know, but with how simple the language was little things like that just kept standing out.

Other than that, it's beautifully written the way Sáenz's books always are. Quiet and contemplative, exploring human nature through the small mundane moments of life. So, great book, just linguistically not his best. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Violence, Terminal illness, Death, and Cancer

Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Racism, and Addiction

This is absolutely a book about loss and grief even if the characters are each in a better place by the end.