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genny's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
Gorgeous prose, oh my goodness. I was afraid Bunny would be a one-hit wonder in regards to my own enjoyment of Awad's work, but clearly that isn't the case! In fact, I'm a little peeved that this hasn't gotten the same amount of hype as Bunny, because it's fantastic IMO. Less comedic & visceral but equally as dark. I wish I wrote a review right after I finished this instead of putting it off for a week so that I could've gushed more thoroughly.
Apparently some people found Miranda's POV tiring, but I was engrossed. Awad does love her "can't tell if they're still experiencing reality" protagonists. I work in the medical field so the discussion about chronic pain was doubly haunting to me; I don't ever want my patients to feel unheard, to become this hopeless, although I understood the struggle of treating an "invisible" illness. Other than the Weird Brethren, there was probably a bunch of other parallels to Shakespeare's work that sadly went over my head. I already enjoyed this so much, I can only imagine how cool it must be to have that added perspective. Even the interview with the author at the end made for great reading, with the explanations about how theater/performance/pain can intertwine.
I'll leave a few of my favorite quotes here because I don't know what else to say other than I LOVED THIS, it was so freaking good.
Apparently some people found Miranda's POV tiring, but I was engrossed. Awad does love her "can't tell if they're still experiencing reality" protagonists. I work in the medical field so the discussion about chronic pain was doubly haunting to me; I don't ever want my patients to feel unheard, to become this hopeless, although I understood the struggle of treating an "invisible" illness. Other than the Weird Brethren, there was probably a bunch of other parallels to Shakespeare's work that sadly went over my head. I already enjoyed this so much, I can only imagine how cool it must be to have that added perspective. Even the interview with the author at the end made for great reading, with the explanations about how theater/performance/pain can intertwine.
I'll leave a few of my favorite quotes here because I don't know what else to say other than I LOVED THIS, it was so freaking good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, and Ableism
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Sexual content
decie's review against another edition
dark
tense
1.0
something about this book just rubbed me the wrong way. a big part of that was definitely the way disability was talked about/used almost like a horror element in parts....it feels like it's supposed to show the reality of life as a woman with chronic pain, but it just ended up pushing cure rhetoric and framing disabled people as crabby old hags with "dead legs" who are resented by their former loved ones until they are cured and "back to normal" for the happy ending
I am literally begging authors to stop using the magically disabled and tragically disabled tropes in their books. it really shouldn't be this hard.
I also felt like Awad was trying to have an unreliable narrator but made her so unreliable that half of the story was lost. we only needed one sentence from a onlooker's pov to make the entire book make sense, but we didn't get that. instead, we got a bizarre ableist fever dream without any clear messaging. wild.
I am literally begging authors to stop using the magically disabled and tragically disabled tropes in their books. it really shouldn't be this hard.
I also felt like Awad was trying to have an unreliable narrator but made her so unreliable that half of the story was lost. we only needed one sentence from a onlooker's pov to make the entire book make sense, but we didn't get that. instead, we got a bizarre ableist fever dream without any clear messaging. wild.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Medical content, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, and Misogyny
Minor: Alcohol, Physical abuse, and Rape
kam_pearson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Infertility, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
bluberrybooks's review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed the story writing and the story itself. The way she talks about pain and how the doctors and people around her treat her is very real. Doctors dismiss and don't really listen to their patients. They all have their own idea of chronic pain that is flawed and treat their patients horribly in different ways wheather they mean to or not. I have chronic apin and I related to doctors/ physical therapists not really understanding or not having the knowledge to help me. There were many lines that's struck me.
I loved the magic and dream sequences. It felt like a thriller, comedy, drama and realistic fiction all at once. I love the different genres combined
All's well really captures chronic pain and how ignored and overlooked it is by everyone around you even family.
Spoiler...
I love the character development even if it was small with most of the characters like Briana and how Grace apologized Miranda grew as a character as well.
This review is not well written, but I loved it overall
I loved the magic and dream sequences. It felt like a thriller, comedy, drama and realistic fiction all at once. I love the different genres combined
All's well really captures chronic pain and how ignored and overlooked it is by everyone around you even family.
Spoiler...
I love the character development even if it was small with most of the characters like Briana and how Grace apologized Miranda grew as a character as well.
This review is not well written, but I loved it overall
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gaslighting, Violence, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Ableism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
rosalind's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Had high hopes for this as it has all the ingredients that sounded perfectly up my street. The concept was intriguing and I can’t lie, as a chronic pain sufferer myself, I found moments extremely cathartic. But the writing style really let it down for me; for the most part, it felt heavy-handed and lacking in the kind of subtle exploration I was hoping for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Chronic illness
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Death, Mental illness, and Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy and Ableism
taylortut's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Ableism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Chronic illness, and Mental illness
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Murder and Sexual content
stevie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Fatphobia
beccam22's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Ableism, and Gaslighting
hazmatz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
3.5
Look, I read this over two days so it clearly got me. I can't fully say I understood it through and through. Reminds me of the Pisces in it's protagonist. Miserable (justifiably so?) and resentful of the world and it's people.
At best I found her understandable. At worst absolutely contemptable. Which I think I would have liked more if there was a little more catharsis towards the end. Anti-climatic for me (which is mentioned in the book? An intentional lampshade?)
You definitely feel this book. You feel the frustration of no one believing you, of diminishing your suffering. But Miranda turns that pain into...just absolutely thinking so little of the woman around her, either by infantilizing or villainizing. Can't fully tell if this was on purpose though, and had the same struggle with Bunny.
Overall will keep returning to this author I think.
At best I found her understandable. At worst absolutely contemptable. Which I think I would have liked more if there was a little more catharsis towards the end. Anti-climatic for me (which is mentioned in the book? An intentional lampshade?)
You definitely feel this book. You feel the frustration of no one believing you, of diminishing your suffering. But Miranda turns that pain into...just absolutely thinking so little of the woman around her, either by infantilizing or villainizing. Can't fully tell if this was on purpose though, and had the same struggle with Bunny.
Overall will keep returning to this author I think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Ableism, Sexual content, and Gaslighting