Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

5 reviews

angorarabbit's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-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

2.5

TW:  Postpartum depression is particularly graphic and disturbing, chapter 3 was particularly hard to read. I skimmed the latter portion of chapter 25 which depicted stalking. The racial slur was very out of the blue and had nothing to do with the plot. There is limited diversity, a minor character was described as black but there was nothing else about him.

 

TLDR:  Great characterisation for the most part. This is not a detective novel but a multifamily drama. 

 

Bloopholes: If you mean to kill someone, after knocking them unconsciousness wouldn’t you finish the job unless you were disturbed.? 

 

Context: I loved Life After Life, I wanted to throw A God in Ruins at the wall.I had previously attempted this novel but stalled out at chapter 3. 

 

Ms. Atkinson writes the internal dialogue of young girls like no other author I’ve read. She falls a little when it comes to adults, particularly males. I thought the characterisation of the male protagonist was excellent but the other males where all a bit weak or absent. One man seemed to be characterised partly by his weight. Two female children are interesting as children but as adults are tiresome and a bit unbelievable. 

 

That being said I do have some problems with the plot besides the bloophole already mentioned. 

 

Rule 1 of Knox’s Decalogue is broken. Other mysteries are fairly easy it work out ahead of the reveal. There is also a ghost of Dickens with a surprise legacy that bails out a character. 

 

The next one really bugged me and I’m apologise that I cant express myself better. The representation of a possible Ace character. Their disgust/facimation of sex is based on childhood trauma and not on their possible orientation. Once they have an organism then they suddenly become Bi? Really? I’m not sure it works like that. 

 

Lastly for all the males and children in this book we do not have the viewpoint of any male children. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia, Body shaming, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Death, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Abortion, Alcohol, Cancer, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racial slurs

The racial slur was superfluous. The Acephobia is based on my reading of the possible orientation of one of the characters. Chapter three is a graphic depiction of untreated postpartum depression. Multiple characters suffer mild to severe childhood trauma.

rowanrelph's review

hopeful mysterious medium-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: Death, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Infidelity, Infertility, Fatphobia, Violence, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Animal death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Child death, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Dementia, Addiction, and Cancer

uranaishi's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Car accident, Infidelity, Rape, Violence, Classism, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Sexual content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Racial slurs, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Infertility, War, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Blood, Body shaming, Biphobia, Fatphobia, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, and Gun violence

gemin1reader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious

4.5

I love Kate Atkinson, she can do no wrong. This book required some serious concentration to keep up with time jumps and changing POV but I just love the way she writes (and think you’ll either love it or hate it). 

TWs will be spoilers so if you’re not particularly bothered then go in expecting it to have serious detective/crime theme but definitely worth checking if you are!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Child abuse, Stalking, Pedophilia, Rape, Incest, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Pregnancy

cblunier's review

The family situation was depressing.  A missing child is not something I want to read about.  I read the end, and the death of the child was linked loosely to pedophilia. Just no.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy