Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow

7 reviews

clairew97's review

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, War, Abandonment, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Racism, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Racial slurs, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Grief, Rape, and Sexual content

baileyjanetee's review

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

hollyd19's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Set largely in the eponymous Memphis and flashing between the 1950s and 1990s, this book follows the women of the North family as they navigate life and hardship. 

I’ll admit that I went in with some trepidation after seeing some lukewarm reviews and the abrasive behavior from the author towards critical discussions. However, I tried to read with openness, especially considering the longlist recognition. I’m grateful I did because I found it very engaging and rich. The women centered in the narrative face impossible choices thanks to the racist society where they live and the unhealthy men in their orbits. The writing is descriptive and honest, offering complex characters with dreams, shortcomings, successes, and heartbreaks. You could come away from the book feeling like the North women faced and excessive amount of trauma, but I believe Stringfellow presents their story in such a way as to communicate that their lot was due in large part to the world they inhabited and their own personal convictions of self-worth. 

My two main criticisms are mostly around Joan. I found that the parts from her perspective, especially in her youth, used language that was too mature and complex. Additionally, she was the only character written from first person and I found that a little disorienting, especially since her story doesn’t really feel like the central one (I’d argue that August is the “main” character). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, and Hate crime

goldenjunegem's review

emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Police brutality

katieb_'s review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Child abuse, Rape, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Hate crime, Medical trauma, Gun violence, and Mental illness

bookshelf_al's review

emotional hopeful reflective slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Child abuse

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Medical trauma

slimy's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Racism, Rape, Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, and Domestic abuse