Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

209 reviews

aliceroddy_'s review

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would - I was interested in the characters and I found it very easy to read. That being said, I didn't feel compelled to pick it up or continue reading it and I think that's because there were quite a few plot points that I thought were unnecessary and the book was about 125 pages too long. All in all, this book was interesting; enjoyable; well-written and I would recommend (still not going to read Normal People though.)

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body horror, Chronic illness, Blood, and Medical content

khanyisile13's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.5

I have many feelings about this book because this book has many feelings. You really feel like you’re in Frances’ head, and a great deal of the time, it’s uncomfortable. I found myself wanting to sit down and talk to her, but knowing all too well that she’s the kind of person who wouldn’t take it well at any given moment. It’s such an interesting book, and none of the characters are loveable. They all kinda suck as people even though they speak so much about morality and ethics and politics. I would not like to know any of them in real life, but the entertainment values of their decisions keeps you reading. It was sad, and hilarious, and frightening, and I was on the edge of my seat, but then I would also not want to read anymore. I enjoyed reading this book, but in some ways this book was not enjoyable — because the feelings and the thoughts are such a sandstorm you can get caught in them, knowing very well they are not your feelings or thoughts. I both hated and loved how the characters communicated to each other, and was constantly confused about how they felt about each other. And then I remembered that this book is from a certain perspective and it’s up to the reader to decide whether or not to trust that perspective. I think that’s important to ask while you’re reading a Sally Rooney book, to ask yourself if you trust the realities of the person telling the story, because Rooney puts you deep inside their mind and you’re just along for the ride whether you like it or not. What a conflicting, extremely well written read. I’m glad to have read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia

ivmaurik's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Blood, Alcoholism, and Chronic illness

katjayorke's review

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

A dramatic story with an inconclusive end. Exciting and reflective but not as conceptually driven as Sally Rooney’s Normal People. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Infertility, Sexual content, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

chaniesgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Sally Rooney's writing never fails to amaze and captivate me 
After reading normal people I didn't really expect this kind of characters nor plot but it was so good
I loved that I could sense some recurring patterns in Rooney's style and as with normal people I both lived and hated the open ending 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, and Self harm

tinalalatina's review

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Body shaming, Child abuse, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infertility, and Mental illness

samanthaleereads's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Chronic illness, Medical content, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Infidelity

Moderate: Blood, Infertility, Mental illness, and Classism

Minor: Vomit, Cursing, Physical abuse, and Drug use

fkshg8465's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

This is the third Sally Rooney book I've read, and I don't know why I keep trying. I really don't like her work. I find them super boring, and yet I keep hoping something will change, because her name and books keep coming up on list after list for must-reads. I don't get it. I think I really will stop trying. This one was another disappointment for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Blood, Infertility, Chronic illness, and Infidelity

jamiejanae_6's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Classism, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Grief, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship

zoegupta's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

i feel very conflicted about this book. on one hand, very beautifully written, very psychologically whole and complex characters, lots of nuance, and she succeeded in making me understand if not fully root for every character. it pulled me in and kept me itching to finish right through the end.  

on the other hand, i feel it fell into some unfortunate tropes. frances in particular feels like a bella swan / waif / manic pixie dream girl / not like other girls girl… where a lot of concerning attributes (self harm, eating disorder, selfishness, inability to communicate) seem to be romanticized. and i doubt she would be able to get away with nearly as much or be considered mysterious or cool if she weren’t a thin white woman…! if she were written by a man i’d especially hate it, but written by a woman makes it even stranger - she feels like a self insert for rooney? many plot points and attributes seem to be identical to marianne from normal people and to rooney’s own life… 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Self harm

Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Blood, Chronic illness, Infertility, and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide attempt