Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

136 reviews

jessiet's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

But of language, twist at the end

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

izzyrintoul's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Genocide, Self harm, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Gaslighting

Minor: Rape and Stalking

momo916's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

3.5

It’s hard to review this book without giving anything away. I will say, after having listened to this on audio, that you do really need to pay attention to the narration because some of it is quite odd. All in all, it’s a generally feel-good book that takes you to Eleanor’s darkest places so that you can feel hopeful when she pulls herself out of them and towards a brighter future.

My main spoiler-free gripe with this book was that there were so many instances where Eleanor did or thought something absolutely buck wild and then 2 seconds later acted like it had never happened. I understand that part of her journey is her unlearning unhealthy behaviors, but throughout the book it kept feeling like it was happening at the flip of a switch. In general I really love the premise of this book and Eleanor’s characterization as strong and vocal, unbroken by her past, but there were so many times over the course of her healing process where the change felt unnaturally sudden.

My main spoiler-filled gripe is that

the social commentary aspects of it were a little too in my face. I am glad there is such a well-written story out there that confronts these things, but it did take me out of the story as it was happening. I realized that "Mummy" was just a voice in Eleanor’s head after about their second interaction, so I spent the rest of the book interpreting everything she was saying as societal messaging towards women in general, intensified exaggerated for narrative effect. Also, as far as tragic backstories go, "product of rape, hated and abused by the mother who didn’t want me" verges on feeling exploitative of and hypercritical towards real women who experience rape and its repercussions. I can only assume that the author is making an argument as to why abortion should be legal, but that doesn’t even feel like a relevant argument given the basis of the pro-choice argument, at least these days.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Minor: Fatphobia

Abuse by parent

laurenw's review against another edition

dark emotional funny fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

Thoroughly entertaining voice, enthralling characters, and plot twists that keep you going till the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Self harm and Vomit

Minor: Animal cruelty and Fatphobia

tigertheory's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

casc8a's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

ymorii's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

helenamichelle's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

mouse1982's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

aliasbooklover's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

it took me about 100 pages to get into the book. i had a hard time understanding the path the author wanted us to be on. with time, i got hooked on the characters. i especially loved the friendship between eleanor and raymond. really interesting reading experience and pov. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment